Which of the following is a listed manner of death?

• A. Natural
• B. Homicide
• C. Suicide
• D. Accidental

Answer: (A)

Manner of death is the broad category used on death certificates to describe how the death occurred. The standard listed categories include natural, accidental, suicide, and homicide (with undetermined sometimes added). Natural death is the category used when death results from a disease process or internal medical condition, not from external injury or foul play. That’s why it is a listed manner of death. For contrast: a death caused by external factors like a fall or crash would be accidental; a death caused by another person would be homicide; a self-inflicted death would be suicide. Each of these is a recognized listed manner, but natural provides the clear example of a death due to internal causes rather than external ones.