Case Study 10: Injury Causation

Medical forensic reports and analysis are crucial in various instances, particularly in injury causation cases. Our expertise is invaluable in cases involving personal injury, including those caused by weapons like knives. Our experts determine the age and extent of injuries, providing critical evidence.

Situation…

The defendant was charged with a Section 18 Wounding but he claimed that the injuries sustained by the complainant were caused during scuffle between them.

 Action…

Bericon were asked to comment on the injuries sustained by the complainant

Result…

The hospital doctor had described laceration wounds to the complainant’s neck.

A knife wound causes by definition an incisional wound and the wounds described by the doctor were not of this type.

If it was accepted that these were incisional knife wounds, there was no description of their depth and therefore it was not possible to say whether they were stab or ‘slash’ type wounds.

If the wounds caused by the defendant were of the ‘slash’ variety and applied across the skin rather than a deliberate stab wound this is what one might expect in a scuffle where he was defending himself.

The defendant stated that he was very frightened, there were raised voices and shouting and he received an injury compatible with punches.

Bericon’s expert concluded that an explanation of the wounding is that it happened during the scuffle rather than an intentional event.