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…
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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…
Do the Right Thing
Radiologists should follow guidelines developed by the American College of Radiology regarding such things as ambient light levels, monitor resolution and luminance, and certain components of the reports themselves such as differential diagnosis and suggestions for further imaging.…
Timing is Everything
Experienced radiologists have reviewed an enormous number of images which generates a vast internal database; radiologists have the best chance to assess the timing of pathology such as fractures, strokes, and bleeds by comparing the images to…
Quality Counts
Image quality can vary significantly which can affect diagnostic accuracy. The most advanced scanner-software combinations produce images that look like the newest high definition TV, but others might look like an old fuzzy TV set from the…
To Err is Human
Radiologists make mistakes just like everyone else; radiologists can misinterpret findings or miss them altogether, most commonly nasal bone fractures and soft tissue contusions seen on head CT for assault. Aside from inherent differences in opinion, the…
Don’t Believe Everything you Read
Radiologist’s reports are interpretations and opinions of imaging exams, not objective results like laboratory tests. The report is ideally performed in conjunction with clinical history, physical exam, and laboratory results, but even given perfect conditions radiologists may disagree…
Seizures: 5 Things Every Criminal Attorney Should Know
1. Seizures also have a long list of causes, including: Seizure medication noncompliance Medications: Tricyclic Antidepressants, anticholinergics, lithium Brain conditions such as hydrocephalus, tumors, stroke (Can be delayed) Traumatic brain bleed (Can be delayed) Kidney…
Bruises: 5 Things Every Criminal Attorney Should Know
1. Dating bruises – bruises cannot be dated by color. IF yellow can be identified, one can determine that the bruise is at least 18 hours old. All other colors can be observed from the first…
Legal implications of nasal fractures
Our medical expert recently got retained in a criminal case where the victim suffered an injury to her nose. She had a reported history of previous nasal trauma but was diagnosed with a nasal fracture…
Nasal Fractures: What does the literature say?
Legal Aspects in Nasal Fractures Rhinology, 1991 ABSTRACT A criminal act is involved in a high percentage of cases of nasal fracture, and exact medical information describing the damages found is mandatory for the criminal…
