Once the bridge is done, it's time to begin discussing the cause of death, type of injuries and other medical details. Continue to step 6 if there are no deceased.
Similar to the bridge, begin by listing the deceased followed by the injured. The dead will have their own paragraph(s) and the injured will have their own paragraph(s). List the names in alphabetical order by their last name.
The body should begin with how and when the deceased arrived at the hospital.
- If the deceased took the same transport to the same hospital, state that in a single paragraph placed above each person’s additional medical details.
- If any details differ, give each person their own separate paragraph explaining how and where they went.
- If two or more of the deceased went to the same place and had the same cause of death, they can be merged into one paragraph.
This information can also be combined with the medical data, but make sure to cover all the information within the body.
Structure the medical details using the following format:
[Last name] was pronounced dead at [medical facility] at [time], said [doctor full ID]. They died of [cause of death].
When writing the body details for the deceased:
- Always attribute all medical information. Every paragraph that mentions a prognosis must have an attribution.
- Don't say the deceased were “pronounced dead on arrival,” if you don’t know for sure.
While writing about the dead and injured, be mindful of the pain everyone involved is going through. Be tasteful and consider propriety at all times. This means:
- Don't list injuries as is, and don't use complex medical terms.
- Say the injured suffered their wounds, not sustained.
- Say ‘internal injuries’ instead of graphically talking about the dead’s organs rupturing and being torn asunder.
- Say ‘blood loss’ instead of getting too graphic about excessive bleeding.
- Say ‘head injury’ instead of saying their brain was severely injured.
- Say ‘gunshot wounds’ instead of detailing where they were hit.