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…
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Shock in Criminal Cases
In April, I covered delirium and noted that there are many underlying etiologies that can cause it. One such etiology is hypoperfusion. When the blood flow is cut off to the vital organs, the body…
5 things criminal attorneys should know about…Bruises
This is the last in the “5 things criminal attorneys should know about…” series where I highlight some areas of medicine that often cross into the criminal fields. This is not meant to be an…
5 Things Criminal Attorneys Should Know About…Loss of Consciousness
This is the 4th out of 6 in this series of “5 things criminal attorneys should know about…” which I first posted a few years ago. Each month I highlight some areas of medicine that…
5 Things Criminal Attorneys Should Know About…Seizures
For the next few months I’ll post “5 things criminal attorneys should know about …” and highlight some areas of medicine that often cross into the criminal fields. I did this series a few years…
Can One Punch Kill? {Assault/Trauma}
A review of medications and medical history can play a critical role in any case with traumatic injuries.
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…
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…
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…
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…
Medical Records: Complications & Procedures
For more information on the hospital course, other documents to look for include: Operative reports: These are generated if the patient undergoes any surgeries, and a separate report will be generated for each operation. Look…
Medical Records Review: Emergency Dept.
When performing a medical records review, if you’re looking for a list of injuries, as you commonly are in criminal law, you will look at the emergency department (ED or ER) reports and/or the ambulance…
