Why can the time of death not always be stated precisely?

In forensic medicine, the exact time of death cannot always be determined with certainty. An exact time is usually only possible if the death was observed or if reliable medical documentation is available.

If a deceased person is only found later, it is usually only possible to state a time period. Various pieces of information are taken into account, for example the circumstances in which the person was found, medical findings, post-mortem changes and information on when the deceased person was last seen alive.

Information on the time of death in the death certificate should therefore often be understood as the best possible professional estimate. It does not always mean that death occurred at exactly that time. If the time of death is important for official, insurance-related or inheritance-law matters, the competent authorities or relevant specialist offices are the right points of contact.