Basic approaches to medical,forensic, and biomechanical studies in expert evaluation of a car injury

Modern approaches to forensic medical expert evaluation of car injuries are discussed. Many problems remain unsolved after examination of injuries in victims inside the car, which negatively tells on the versions suggested during criminal investigation of car accidents. The experts often neglect the most sensitive methods for evaluation of these injuries and many fundamental approaches to the problem: differential diagnosis of primary and secondary injuries; basic medical and biomechanical methods and studies of the clues; fundamentals of total systems evaluation of the results of forensic medical expert evaluation.     

Forensic medical evaluation of harm severity inflicted to one's health by slight craniocerebral injuries in the remote period

A pressing problem is discussed: forensic medical evaluation of harm inflicted to health by slight craniocerebral injuries. Analysis of 2150 expert forensic medical and medico-social conclusions revealed serious organization and methodological errors in evaluation of harm inflicted to health by slight craniocerebral injuries. Approaches to improving the quality of such forensic medical expert evaluations are outlined.     

Expert evaluation of damage to health in dental injuries

Discusses problems in forensic medical expert evaluation of the severity of dental injuries. Analyzes the classification of dental injuries and criteria for their expert evaluation. Considers some disputable and contradictory problems in expert interpretation of dental injuries involving complete loss of teeth and evaluation of injuries in subjects with maxillodental diseases. Offers approaches to solution of these problems.     

Forensic-medical diagnosis of heart damage from blunt trauma

A total of 277 forensic expert medical conclusions on cases with closed heart injury are analyzed. The morphology and mechanisms of formation of heart injuries in various traumas are discussed.     

Peculiar approaches to the estimation of the severity of harm to health in children with non-fatal injuries

The medico-legal estimation of non-fatal injuries in the children and adolescents is presented. The data obtained have been used to develop and substantiate the algorithm of forensic medical expertise of such injuries. Scientifically sound criteria have been proposed to be used for the purpose of expert estimation of the severity of harm to health associated with non-fatal injuries taking into consideration their clinical manifestations. The procedures of forensic medical expertise for the estimation of the harm to health have been analysed with special reference to non-fatal injuries in children and adolescents. Main attention was given to the accompanying strategic, organizational, and methodological errors. The approaches to their prevention and correction are described.     

Significance of histochemical parameters of erythrocyte catalase activity for diagnosing mild concussion and contusion of the brain

A total of 227 primary and repeated forensic medical expert conclusions in victims with slight craniocerebral injuries (CCI) are analyzed. Erythrocyte catalase (CTer) activity was analyzed on the basis of the results of computer quantitative morphometry of histochemical analysis of blood smears from 50 victims with slight CCI. CTer activity correlated with the severity of CCI. A new objective method for histochemical diagnosis of slight concussion and contusion of the brain is suggested, which rules out errors in forensic medical expert evaluations in examinations of this category of victims.     

The forensic medical assessment of the micromorphology of brain stem hemorrhages in craniocerebral trauma

Microscopic features of primary and secondary hemorrhages in the stem portion of the brain in craniocerebral injuries are described. Criteria of differential diagnosis between primary and secondary hemorrhages in the stem in subjects dead during 24 h after isolated and combined craniocerebral injuries are defined. The forensic medical significance of differential diagnosis of hemorrhages in the stem for the solution of many expert problems is evaluated.     

Forensic medical expert evaluation of gunshot injuries of brain skull

Forensic medical experts are offered a set of morphological signs which help identify the gunshot origin of a skull injury, identify which of the injuries is the inlet and which is the outlet, specify the direction of the shot and succession of formation of injuries in cases with several shots. The author suggests evaluating a gunshot wound in the head with due consideration for the mechanisms of its formation. From a complex of signs of a gunshot injury to the brain skull he singles out the tissue defect with a conical channel and the edge of bone defect, additional injury to the external compact plate near the inlet, and type, number, and location of the radial and concentric cracks. Analysis of the morphology of the above listed signs of gunshot injuries to the skull notable extends the potentialities of forensic medical expert evaluation in cases with gunshot injuries.     

Diagnostic role of acute microscopic changes in myocardium

Forensic medical diagnosis of death from coronary heart disease, acute ethanol poisoning, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, closed cardiac injuries, mechanical injuries incompatible with life which may be directly caused by acute cardiac failure, requires identification and evaluation of diagnostic complexes of acute myocardial changes. The diagnostic significance of such complexes of myocardial changes is characterized for the first time. A method for evaluation of such changes, addressed to expert histologists, is presented.     

The use of emission spectrum analysis in the forensic medical expertise of gunshot wounds (experimental research)

Presents the methodology of experimental shots from various guns (n = 11) by common cartridges and of emission spectral analysis (ESA) which was used to study the regularities in deposition of "gunshot metals" at the site of gunshot injuries and to detect the characteristic differences in shooting with and without obstacles. Effects of some factors on deposition of metal components of gunshot products at the site of gunshot injuries are studied: type of gun, shell (with/without coating or semicoated), presence of obstacles, distance, and order of the shot. Results of studies are presented for some guns, which may be useful in forensic medical expert evaluations by means of ESA.     

Analysis of forensic-medical expert conclusions on rap and concealed rape (data from anonymous questionnaires)

Specific features of modern cases of raping are analyzed on the basis of the data of forensic medical obstetrical and gynecological expert evaluations carried out in the Primorye territory. Age and risk groups are defined, health status of victims is characterized, and specific injuries of the body and genitals are described. Specific features of concealed sexual violations in Vladivostok are defined and the need in creation of rehabilitation centers for victims of raping is discussed.     

A cause célèbre: the so-called "ballpoint murder"

Transorbital intracranial injuries are uncommon but classic ophthalmologic traumas. This report describes a case of a woman who was found dead. Postmortem examination revealed a Bic ballpoint which had penetrated her head through her right eye. Detective forces believed a murder to be the most likely cause; however, medical expert consultants indicated that a tragic accident was more likely. The case and the results of crossbow test-firing on human cadavers are presented.     

Evaluation of injuries features inflicted by shots from gas guns by emission spectral analysis

The authors describe a methodological approach to emission spectral analysis of material evidences aimed at evaluating the regularities of deposition of the shot metals at the site of injuries inflicted by gas guns. Injuries inflicted by gunshots with chemical cartridges and with shot cartridges, with and without obstructions, from different distances have been examined. The detected regularities may be useful in forensic medical expert evaluations by means of emission spectral analysis in cases with gas gunshots.     

Modern structure of the pancreatic injuries

Current structure of pancreatic traumas of peace time is considered. The dynamics, mechanism and characteristics of pancreastic injury are described. Surgical treatment of pancreatic injuries and causes of their inadequate management are analysed. This will contribute to improvement of the quality of treatment of pancreatic injuries and of expert evaluation.     

The data on statistical surveillance of recording forensic medical expertises of the harm to human health collected by the Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise (BFME) in Central Health Department of the Moscow region

This publication deals with the analysis of application of the "Medical criteria for the harm to human health" put into force on September 16, 2008, as exemplified by the work of the Bureau of forensic medical expertise (BFME), Central Health Department of the Moscow region, during the period from 2007 and 2010. The data were borrowed from the materials of departmental statistical reporting (F.42) on forensic medical examinations of the harm to human health carried out during the period between 2007 and 2010. In addition, the statistical report of BFME on the application of the medical criteria in 2010 was used. The number of forensic medical expertises for the estimation of the degree of harm to human health was shown to decrease by 9% but remain 3% higher than the average across the country. The number of expertises of severe harm to the health increased by 15% as in the whole of the country with the concomitant 20% reduction in the number expertises of mild and moderate harm. These trends are unrelated ether to the changes in the frequency of crimes leading to the serious harm to the health or to the number of subjects convicted of such crimes. It was found that p.p. 6.1.1 - 6.1.30 of the "Medical criteria" that list life-threatening injuries are most frequently (in 58% of the cases) used to document facts of severe harm to the health. The same is true of p.p. 6.11. - 6.11.11 listing the injuries responsible for the persistent loss of occupational capacity (by at least one third). The frequency of application of concrete paragraphs of the (Medical criteria, is determined within each group. The largest number of expert errors (3.2%) were committed while estimating serious harm to the health based on the paragraphs listing the injuries responsible for the persistent loss of occupational capacity (by at least one third). The minimal number of such errors (1%) were committed while estimating serious harm to the health from life-threatening injuries.     

Defects in medical care rendered by private practitioners (or institutions)

Fifty-one conclusions of forensic expert medical committees on criminal and civil cases instituted against private medical institutions and physicians are analyzed. Sixteen expert evaluations concerned dental care, 15 were on cosmetic operations, etc. Flaws in medical care, their causes and consequences are analyzed. Tentative expert evaluation of similar cases is made.     

宋慈和他的《洗冤集录》

南宋宋慈所著的《洗冤集录》是我国现存最早的一部比较系统的法医学专著。该书主要包括法医检验的准则和要求、各种死伤的鉴别、保辜和急救等内容,对解剖、生理、病理、诊断、治疗以及急救等医学知识都有精辟的论述,留下了许多典型的案例和宝贵的方剂。记述范围广泛几乎触及现代法医学的所有分支科目,为现代法医学提供了有参考价值的辨别知识和鉴定经验。     

Criteria for forensic medical evaluation of professional working capacity loss

The main and additional criteria used in evaluation (in percent) of loss of professional working capacity are characterized. Criteria common for forensic medical and medical social expert evaluations and differences between them are discussed. These differences are due to the fact that forensic medical expert evaluations are based on the Civil and Civil Processual Codes of the Russian Federation but not on the departamental norm-setting documents.