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…
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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…
Was the Defendant Drunk or Concussed? {DUI/Gen Med}
Was the Defendant Drunk or Concussed? 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:…
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 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…
Burns: Complications
We have reviewed medical records from clients with burn injuries that have more than twenty diagnoses documented. This is because of the numerous complications associated with severe burns. The skin is the largest organ of…
Burns: Long Term Treatment
The client with severe burns will be hospitalized for weeks or months. Burn wounds often require painful dressing changes, surgery and grafting. Preservation of function and prevention of complications are the priorities of care. A…
Burns: Initial Treatment
It is important to obtain and review medical records from the ambulance crew and emergency department in burn cases. The first responders will obtain information about the details of the fire, injuries and medical history.…
Case Study: Burn Injuries
Mr. John Smith, age 40 sustained multiple injuries when he jumped from the second story of a burning house. He was treated at the scene by emergency medical services and transported to the emergency department…
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…
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…
