Forensic Aspects of Trauma

Question 1

How do you classify injury?

Answer 1

Appearance or method of causation - abrasion, contusion, laceration, incised wounds, gunshot wounds, burns

Manner of causation - suicidal, accidental, homocidal

Nature of injury - blunt force, sharp force, explosive

Question 2

What are contusions?

Answer 2

Burst blood vessels in the skin

Question 3

What are abrasions?

Answer 3

Scraping of the skin surface

Question 4

What are lacerations?

Answer 4

Tear / split of the skin due to crushing

Question 5

What are factors affecting prominence of bruises?

Answer 5

• Skin pigmentation
• Depth and location – occur more readily over loose skin – eyebrow, scrotum
• Fat - ↑ subcut fat = bruise more easily
• Age - Children – skin loose and delicate
• Elderly - blood vessels of skin poorly supported
• Resilient areas – buttocks, abdomen – bruise less easily with given impact than areas with underlying bone which acts as an anvil with skin between bone and inflicting object
• Coagulative disorders – thrombocytopenia, Von Willebrand’s disease, haemophilia, liver disease (alcoholics), bone marrow disease

Question 6

What is the difference between a stab wound and an incised wound?

Answer 6

Incised wound = superficial sharp force injury caused by slashing motion, longer on the skin surface than it is deep

Stab wound = Penetrating injury resulting from thrusting motion, wound depth is greater than the length on the surface