Forensic assessment of adequacy and accuracy in documenting skeletal firearm injuries

ABSTRACT

Accurate evaluation of firearm related injury is essential for medicolegal aspects of incident. In this study, the records of thirty living cases of gunshot skeletal injuries were reviewed and analyzed to determine the adequacy of description of important forensic aspects of the injuries. The cases were collected from a busy trauma center in the Republic of Yemen. Emphasis was put on the description of inlet and exit wounds, estimation of distance and direction of firing. Revision of the patients and their x rays was done to investigate the accuracy of clinical description documented by the trauma surgeons who treated the patients. The records of the cases revealed 52 bullet wounds. Entrance versus exit was described in 39 wounds [75%]. The size and shape was described in only 5 wounds [10%]. The site of wound was assessed by region in 46 wounds [88%], by diagram in 29 [56%] or measurement from fixed point in 12 [23%]. The direction was determined only in 7 [13%] of the examined wounds. After forensic assessment of the cases and their comparison with medical records written by trauma surgeons, inadequate information and insufficient comparison were seen in two cases who were avoided. In 13 cases that had one wound, only one case [8%] was adequately and correctly identified. Of 8 cases with two wounds, only 2 cases [25%] were equal to forensic examination. In all 7 cases that had more than 2 wounds, the surgeon records had discrepancies with forensic examination. This study revealed that the trauma specialists responsible for treating firearm injuries do not adequately nor correctly analyze and interpret these wounds