Pitfalls in the Interpretation of Postmortem Toxicology
Numbers are Tools, Not Shackles Medico-legal experts are often confronted with the question in legal proceedings of the lethality of a given concentration of a drug detected in autopsy specimens. Regardless of their credentials, whether they be forensic pathologists, clinical toxicologists or other clinical specialists, some are willing to testify this or that concentration was […]
Expert Testimony: The Tragic Conundrum of Live-birth Versus Still-birth.
Dr Andrew discusses a pediatric case that offers A Cautionary Tale Regarding Dogmatic Certainty Particularly in the case of the death of a newborn infant, the investigation of every sudden, unexpected or violent death requires a holistic approach, utilizing historical and investigative data, statements of witnesses if available, the autopsy and all associated ancillary studies. […]
Expert Opinion – Time of Death
Dr Andrew discusses the “Holy Grail” of Forensic Pathology and Forensic Medicine We have all seen the fictional death investigator take a brief look at the body and solemnly intone, “death was between 2:30 and 3:45 AM.” This, of course represents the magical thinking of Hollywood. In actual practice, time of death estimates are exactly […]
The Aftermath of a Crash: Interpreting Injury Patterns in Vehicular Crashes
Dr. Andrew is presenting at the Colby College Seminar on Forensic Sciences Haddon’s Matrix can be utilized by the crash investigator and forensic pathologist alike in an effort to interpret injury patterns and circumstances of vehicular crashes. The incident is divided into pre-crash, crash and post-crash phases with each subdivided into considerations of the victim, […]
Blunt Impact Injuries
Dr Andrew describes various types of blunt force injury and gives Medico-legal examples. Blunt impact injuries is a commonly used term on death certificates when the fatality is due to extensive physical trauma such as seen in vehicular crashes, falls from height or beatings. The term “blunt force injuries” is also commonly seen but is […]
Expert Opinion: Interpreting Cutting and Stabbing Injuries
In this article, Dr Andrew explains that the correct interpretation of stabbing injuries can significantly affect the outcome of a trial. Evaluation of cutting and stabbing injuries may appear straightforward, but this viewpoint can lead to assumptions which in turn, lead to interpretive errors. This, of course, may have significant ramifications in legal proceedings. Cutting […]
Expert Opinion: The Importance of Timing
Dr Andrew offers examples where the timing of injuries offers more insight into the cause of death than the time of death alone. Much is made in fictional accounts of forensic science of time of death determinations. In actual practice, these are estimates with associated ranges. It is a process made difficult by many physical […]
Expert Opinion: A Cause of Death versus The Cause of Death
Dr Andrew explains that a forensic pathologist is best trained to offer an expert opinion on the ACTUAL cause of death. At first glance, “cause of death” seems to be a simple and straight-forward issue. Often it is, but on those cases where cause of death is in dispute, it is important to know that […]
Expert Opinion: Why Autopsy Badly Burned or Charred Remains?
Dr. Andrew offers four examples how forensic pathology can offer expert opinion rather than speculation, even when the body has been burned. Among the classical mistakes in forensic pathology as outlined by Dr. Alan R. Moritz in his Ward Burdick Award Address presented at the 35th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists […]
Gunshot Wound Puzzles and their Solution at Autopsy
Dr Andrew provides answers to gunshot mysteries using the Forensic Consultant’s expertise. As a forensic consultant Dr Andrew relies on decades of experience and thousands of post-mortem examinations to provide a medical opinion regarding the manner and cause of death and injury. In this article we offer a few examples of how an apparent mystery […]
