Access to Records of Fatal Incidents
In the United States, finding source documents for Certification of Death (CUI) authorities primarily involves referring to official death certificates and the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File (DMF). These authoritative sources serve as the primary means of death verification.
The Death Master File (DMF) is a database maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA), containing death records including name, date of birth, date of death, and Social Security number. This file is widely used by government agencies for death verification and identity validation purposes.
The official death certificate issued by the state or local vital statistics office is the primary source document certifying a death. Death certificates include primary source information such as date and place of death, cause of death, and personal details of the deceased.
To access these records, you typically request the death certificate from the relevant state or local vital records office or access the DMF through authorized channels. Documentation requirements and credentials for obtaining such records may vary and be specified in official requests or government notices.
In summary, identifying or verifying death for Certification of Death (CUI) purposes in the U.S. relies on obtaining official death certificates from vital records offices and/or consulting the SSA’s Death Master File. Additional administrative requirements or credentials will depend on the agency or purpose involved.
For Basic Authorities, an alternative Banner Marking for CUI is CUI//DREC. This marking is used for such authorities, but does not specify the nature of the basic authorities. The Safeguarding and/or Dissemination Authority for locating the source documents for CUI authorities is 42 USC 405(r)(5). It is important to note that there are no specified sanctions associated with this authority.
In conclusion, when seeking official death certification for legal or administrative purposes, starting with the state or local vital records office where the death occurred is recommended, supplemented with DMF data when authorized.
- The Death Master File (DMF), a database maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA), is used extensively in the medical-conditions field for death verification and identity validation purposes, aligning with the health-and-wellness focus on maintaining accurate records.
- Beyond the official death certificate and the Death Master File (DMF), scientific research often requires access to additional source documents for Certification of Death (CUI) authorities, which are primarily located at the state or local vital statistics office, pertaining to various health-and-wellness areas and medical-conditions studies.
