What does livor mortis indicate after death?

Livor mortis indicates the pooling of blood in the lowest parts of the body after death, which occurs due to gravity as the heart ceases to pump blood. Once the heart stops, blood circulation halts, causing the blood to settle in the areas of the body that are closest to the ground. This process typically begins within 20 minutes to 3 hours following death and can cause a noticeable purplish discoloration of the skin in those areas where the blood has pooled.

Understanding the significance of livor mortis is essential in forensic pathology, as it can provide valuable information about the time of death and may even offer insights into the position of the body after death. Other options, such as the moment of death, muscle stiffness (rigor mortis), and cooling of the body temperature (algor mortis), do not pertain directly to the process of blood settling and, therefore, are not correct in the context of what livor mortis indicates.