Can someone consent after a head injury? {Mental Health/Toxicology}

Many times, a police officer will interview a defendant after a fight or a car wreck where the person being interviewed has suffered head trauma. What the police officer may not understand is that even mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) can affect a person’s ability to comprehend the questions being asked and the ramifications of [&hellip Read More...

When does in-home caregiving turn into Elder Abuse/Neglect?

In many criminal cases, Adult Protective Services and the police are called because a patient arrives at the hospital with multiple and severe wounds called pressure ulcers. They often are septic because the wounds have gotten infected and in the elderly it leads to an altered mental state very rapidly. This leads to an investigation [&hellip Read More...

Two Black Eyes But He Swears He Didn’t Hit Her {Assault/Trauma}

Two Black Eyes, also known as Raccoon’s eyes, is a sign of a skull fracture and does not necessarily indicate blunt force trauma to the face. Because this type of skull fracture is often missed on radiology studies, a medical expert is needed to review the records and determine the cause of the bruising.   [&hellip Read More...

Is the Defendant Drunk or Concussed? {DUI/Gen Med}

If a person who is charged with a DUI and has a concussion, a review of the medical records by an expert can determine if the defendant has either: Concussion overview Concussion is a form of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) in which the brain is impacted sufficiently to result in neurological symptoms but not [&hellip Read More...

Bruises and Bones – When is it child abuse?

Child abuse cases are emotionally driven for everyone involved. Expert review for both sides is imperative to ensure that the facts of the case are brought to light. The healthcare providers are emotionally connected to the patient and this may affect their ability to remain unbiased. A forensic expert can review of the discovery and [&hellip Read More...

Heroin Withdrawal and Intent {Mental Health/Toxicology}

“What symptoms of Heroin withdrawal would affect the defendant’s ability to form intent?” Heroin use is a common thread within the criminal system and can become relevant in cases where the defendant’s ability to form intent is in question. Heroin intoxication is often the focus but withdrawal should also be considered. What follows is a [&hellip Read More...

What Constitutes GBI? {Assault/Trauma}

I am often called to testify in assault cases in which great bodily injury is an enhancement. In these cases I try to determine the severity of the injury based off of the medical records and photographs. For this month’s newsletter, I’d like to point out some ways to avoid pitfalls in GBI cases by using [&hellip Read More...

Dismissing DUI Blood Draws {DUI/Gen Med}

I just got back from the DUI Defense Lawyers Association’s Mile High Summer Seminar 2016 in Denver where I presented on Medically Acceptable Blood Draws. The case law for this issue is from Cuevas and Schmerber where the courts determined that blood draws must be performed in a medically acceptable manner. The main issues relate [&hellip Read More...

Detection Time: Methamphetamine

  • June 23, 2016 at 10:00 am
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 [&hellip Read More...