Diabetes Complications – Mimics To DUI?
Diabetes The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that there are 30.3 million American adults with diabetes. This is approximately 9.4% of the American population. The ADA also reports that 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year and that in 2015, it was the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. What […]
One Deadly Punch Leads To Prison
Our faithful readers may remember that I wrote a newsletter back in 2011 called “Can One Punch Kill” but it has been many years since then and I asked one of my nurses to write up a newsletter. Ironically, she dug through some of my ideas and came across the same article. Her take […]
Fentanyl: An involuntary intoxication defense?
A strange occurrence at a Massachusetts hospital Articles by Forensic Magazine and New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Between 2012 to 2016, fourteen patients showed up at a Massachusetts hospital with a strange problem. All 14 patients had developed amnesia and cognitive problems with orientation and attention. In addition, they all had a strange lack […]
Visualization of Old Bruises in Children
Ultraviolet Radiation and Forensics In forensics, ultraviolet radiation is used to enhance injuries of the skin. It has been reported that ultraviolet radiation can help visualize an old bruise and can also estimate the shape of the object that caused the bruise. For example, where bruising was faint, old and difficult to recognize, ultraviolet radiation […]
Aging a bruise on Autopsy
Those of you who follow me know I have several posts about how you can’t date bruises by color, but there is emerging literature to show that bruises can be dated on tissue analysis: How can a bruise’s age be determined if not by color? Once the bruise is formed, the body reacts by activating […]
Are alcoholics really at fault for their crimes?
In April, I covered delirium and noted that there are many underlying etiologies that can cause it. One such etiology is Wernicke encephalopathy. What is encephalopathy? Encephalopathy is a general term describing any disease of the brain that alters the function or structure of the brain. There are many types of encephalopathy and causes. The […]
5 Things Criminal Authorities Should Know About… Psychosis
This month we have a guest author. Thank you to Eleanor Ruth for providing this newsletter/blog post for us! Psychosis is a condition that distorts attunement with reality. Throughout the years, there have been many criminal cases involving this rather complex illness. Due to its nature as a mental condition, it can be difficult to […]
How using a nurse can help you win your case.
The nurses and doctors at Godoy Medical Forensics offer medico-legal consulting in criminal and civil cases and we can assist you in your case development and at trial. In many cases you do need a doctor to testify, but that doesn’t necessarily exclude the need for a nurse. It may actually save you money if you […]
We can help you on your Capital Case!
Do you have a capital case? Does the defendant have oodles of medical records? How are you digesting those right now? As a prosecutor, are you ready for the defense arguments against competency? As a defense attorney, are you able to articulate the medical issues that the defendant suffers from? Many of our clients ask […]
Detecting Methamphetamine : Toxicology Time Window
Detection Time of Methamphetamine: Compared to cocaine, methamphetamine’s effects can be more intense and last longer. The half-life for methamphetamine (the time period required for the body to decrease the blood level of methamphetamine by 50%) ranges from 6- 20 hours. The time window for detecting methamphetamine will depend on both testing factors and individual […]
