| Disabling injuries |
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Definition:
A disabling injury (as used here) is directly responsible for death or incapacitation followed by death from drowning.
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Asphyxia: Asphyxia with or without aspiration of water and with no indication of a prior disabling injury |
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Cerebral arterial gas embolism: Gas in the cerebral arteries with or without evidence of lung rupture |
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Cardiac: Acute chest discomfort indicated by the diver, history of cardiac disease, or autopsy findings |
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Trauma: Witnessed trauma, traumatic findings at autopsy |
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Other medical: Stroke, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, carbon monoxide toxicity, etc |
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Other: This includes anything that cannot appropriately be allocated to one of the defined categories. This category should be used sparingly and only after a serious attempt to utilise an existing category. |
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Unknown: Body not recovered; no autopsy available; no indications of disabling injury at autopsy. |
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| Cause of death |
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Definition: The cause of death is that specified by the medical examiner, which could be the same as the disabling injury or could be drowning secondary to injury. |
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| Although the disabling injury is often more informative in determining why the diver became incapacitated, the actual cause of death can sometimes provide important information for preventative and emergency management strategies. |
