Medicolegal Importance of wounds

Medicolegal Importance of wounds Quiz Crafted By-

Geetam Shukla

Scientific Officer

Sherlock Institute of Forensic Science India Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi

Introduction to Medicolegal Importance of wounds

Injury is also known as trauma or wound and can be defined legally as any harm whatsoever in nature caused illegally to the body, mind, reputation or property. Medicolegally (clinically) it is defined as breach or dissolution of the natural continuity of any of the tissues of a living body by actual physical violence. The legal aspect views trauma in two forms, simple and grievous while medicolegally trauma has various types’ mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical/lightening, radiation. The mode of injury could be suicidal, homicidal or accidental. Doctors should therefore be abreast with medico-legal procedures to identify and differentiate failed homicidal, suicidal from accidental cases. This will go a long way to wholistically manage a patient, as they may eventually succeed in their attempts leading to deaths if not properly managed. Injuries of medicolegal importance include:

Let's look at the questions and their answer. 

Ques 1. Which of the following wounds/ injury does not amount to grievous hurt? 

a) Permanent loss of hearing 

b) Fracture of a bone 

c) Black eye (Racoon eye) 

d) Permanent disfiguration of face

Answer- c) Black eye (Racoon eye)

Ques 2. Glancing bullet alongside of skull produces: 

a) Communited Fracture 

b) Depressed Fracture 

c) Pond’s Fracture 

d) Gutter Fracture

Answer- d) Gutter Fracture

Ques 3. Key-shaped entry wound of a rifled weapon is caused by 

a) Dum-dum Bullet 

b) Frangible Bullet 

c) Ricochet Bullet 

d) Tandem Bullet 

Answer- c) Ricochet Bullet

Ques 4. Bevelling of inter table of skull is found in 

a) Firearm Entry Wound 

b) Firearm Exit Wound 

c) Stab Wounds 

d) Pond’s Fracture

Answer-a) Firearm Entry Wound

Ques 5. Accumulation of epithelial skin tags at the end of a wound is seen in which of the following? 

a) Abrasion 

b) Incised 

c) Split Laceration 

d) Chop Wound 

Answer- a) Abrasion

Ques 6. Bevelling of a wound is seen in the following injuries. 

a) Contusion 

b) Laceration 

c) Abrasion 

d) Incised Wound

Answer- d) Incised Wound

Ques 7. The following wounds will heal without a scar formation: 

a) Abrasion 

b) Laceration 

c) Chop Wound 

d) Stab Wound 

Answer- a) Abrasion

Ques 8. Fouling is useful in determination of approximate 

a) Distance of Fire 

b) Time of Fire 

c) Penetration of Projectile 

d) Velocity of Projectile

Answer- b) Time of Fire

Ques 9. The injury sustained by skin due to an alternating current is called 

a) Brush Burn 

b) Filigree Burn 

c) Joule Burn 

d) Arborescent Mark

Answer- d) Arborescent Mark

Ques 10. Multiple parallel superficial cuts criss-crossing each other are suggestive of 

a) Fabricated Wounds  

b) Suicidal Wounds 

c) Accidentally Sustained Wounds 

d) Homicidal Wounds

Answer- b) Suicidal Wounds