Wound Analysis to What Extent Do Wounds

Wound Analysis

To what extent do wounds play a role in understanding the facts and circumstances surrounding a wrongful death?

There are many different types of wounds each of which can tell experts something about the manner of death. Wound types vary from bullet, stabbing, blunt force, rape, poisoning, burn, or traffic fatality. A forensic pathologists' role is to investigate what the wound discloses about how it was inflicted and what inflicted it. Expert pathologists are able to perform wound analysis to reconstruct an event, utilize evidence which may suggest self-defense, and analyze whether the wound was received before or after death (Welner, 2011).

According to Welner (2011) approximately two-thirds of the homicides committed in the United States involve the use of a firearm. Forensic pathologists are able to distinguish the subtle differences between contact gunshot wounds, near contact gunshot wounds, medium range gunshot wounds, and distant gunshot wounds. This process involves both technology and experience to determine various relevant details about the incident such as direction, range, sequence of fire pattern, the path traveled between entry and exit wounds, the likelihood of survival after sustaining a gunshot, the make and model of the gun, and the specific manner of death.

Knife wounds fall into the categories of slash wounds, incision wounds, and puncture wounds. Investigators examine relative details regarding the knife used in the death and the infliction of the wound. They may be able to identify the track marks the knife leaves when it is thrust into the body, or perhaps be able to match a knife to a stab-wound if a small fragment of the knife breaks-off during the assault. Even if an exact match cannot be made, it is always possible to determine whether a particular knife is compatible with a distinct stab-wound. Wound analysis allows a pathologist to determine the location, size, borders and pattern of the injury, the orientation on the skin's surface, the thrust of the perpetrator, and whether the wounds are consistent with defensive actions.

Blunt force wounds do not leave the same evidence of penetration as knife or gunshot wounds. However, investigators in these cases are still able to make conclusive determinations about the trauma such as whether the injury caused was a contusion - bruises or "black and blue" marks), an abrasion - skin essentially shaved off, laceration - tear of the skin, fracture - broken bone, or hematoma - presence of blood in tissues or body cavities. They also examine the force and magnitude with which the trauma was inflicted leading to an assessment of the cause of injury or death. From all of this they may also be able to conclusively determine the weapon used to inflict an injury.