PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL INJURIES: ROLE OF FORENSIC MEDICINE

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PREVENTING ACCIDENTALINJURIESROLE OF
FORENSIC MEDICINE

• Dr. S.K.Verma, Dr. A.Kumar, Dr. S.Lal
• Dept. of Forensic Medicine
• UCMS,Dilshad Garden,
• Delhi-110095

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ROLE OF FORENSIC MEDICINE IN INJURY

• Conventionally Involves
• 
  1.Examination
  
  2.Documentation
  3.Opinion
  expression
  4.Preservation of Exhibits
  5.Testimony in the court
  
  
  

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CAN FORENSIC MEDICINE PLAY ANY ROLE IN
PREVENTION OF INJURY ?
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• YES !
• FORENSIC MEDICINE HAS DEFINITE ROLE IN INJURY
  PREVENTION CRIME PREVENTION

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PREVENTIVE FORENSICS

• In past few years, traditional role of Forensic
  Medicine is changing and redefining safety
  standards.
• There is paradigm shift occurring in Forensic
  Medicine from crime and Injury investigation to
  their prevention.

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PREVENTIVE FORENSICS

• Thats why Forensic Medicine is increasingly
  becoming part of
• 
  1.Traffic Medicine
  
  2.Emergency Medicine
  3.Medical Toxicology
  4.Environmental
  Medicine
  5.Injury and Crime Prevention Program

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PREVENTIVE FORENSICS

• HOW ?
• 
  Three illustrative
  cases
  1. Accidental Strangulations in Cycle
  Rickshaws
  2. Accidental
  Hanging in Lift
  3. Accidental Positional Asphyxia

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Accidental Strangulations in Cycle Rickshaws

• 3 Cases in last 10 years
• All Females between 28-50 years
• Entanglement of Clothing's in the wheels
• Defective, unsafe designing
• Lack of wheel and chain covers
• Suggested an improved prototype
• Effect will be assessed in the time to come

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Rickshaws

• Proposed prototype

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Accidental Hanging in Lift

• 22years old Lift mechanic trying to repair a non
  working lift
• Got hanged due to entanglement of head, when the
  lift suddenly moved up
• Got asphyxiated and died after 39 days of
  survival
• Defective design and potential space between the
  cabin and shaft

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Potential Space in lift
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Accidental Positional Asphyxia

• Three and half yrs old male child
• Reported missing, police report filed
• Found in decomposed state, 3 days latter in his
  own house when foul smell emanated out
• Body was in head down position in the space
  between bed and the wall

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Positional Asphyxia- Photographs
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THANK YOU