Classification

of
Injuries
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INJURIES
1. Medical Definition - Breach of continuity of any tissue of the
body.
2. Legal Definition - As per section 44 of IPC
Any harm or damage illegally caused to ones body, mind,
reputation and property.
Surgical incision - is not illegal.
3. Surgery Definition Breach in the skin or mucous membrane
with doesnt include bruises and contusions, closed rupture of
internal organs, hence the word Trauma collectively known
as wound.
4. Legal definition of Wound No separate definition for wound,
but the equivalent term hurt is defined (as per sec. 3/9-IPC)
as - whoever causes bodily pain, disease or infirmity to any
person, is said to cause hurt.
5. Medico-Legal definition Any damage caused by mechanical
violence or application of physical force.
CLASSIFICATION
1. Medico Legal classification or on the bases of causes:
Mechanical or physical injuries.
Thermal injuries.
Chemical injuries.
Miscellaneous
a) Elecrocution
b) Radiation x-ray, UV rays and other radio-active substance
c) Lightening injuries (Thermal + Ele + Mechanical)
d) Blast injuries (Thermal + Mechanical)
2. According to severity of Injury:
Simple Not sufficient to cause ill-health or death.
Dangerous Large and often fatal.
Grievous inj. Legal term (sec.320 IPC) Type of
dangerous inj. Causing severe pain and permanent
impairment of body part. Ex Emasculation
injury to testes and penis, loss of vision, loss of
hearing. Loss of just movement, disfigurement of
head, face, severe pain extending for 20 days not
allowing to perform functions.
3. Medico Legal or on the bases of mode of injury:
Suicidal Self inflicted.
Homicidal inflicted by others.
Accidental Due to accidents.
Defence wounds wounds while defending self
Fabricated wounds self inflicted/by others to bring false charge of assault.
4. On the bases of Moment of death:
Antemortem wounds.
Postmortem wounds.
5. Nature of causing wound:
a) Blunt; b) Sharp; c) Pointed; d) Fire-arm e) Bomb blasts.
6. Regional Injuries:
a) Head and Neck; b) Spinal; c) Thoraco-abdominal; d) Limb
PHYSICAL OR MEDICO-LEGAL INJURIES
1. Mechanical Injuries
2. Thermal Injuries
exposure to cold exposure to heat
Generic effect Local effect Generic Local
(Hypothermia) effect effect
Frost Trench
bite foot a) Heat stroke a) Burns (dry heat)
b) Heat cramp b) Scalds moist heat
c) Heat exhaution
(Heat syncope)
3. Chemical Injuries (corrosives)
strong acids strong alkalies
Inorganic Organic Hydrates Carbonates
Ex- H2SO4 Ex- Oxalic Ex - NaOH Ex NaCO3
HCL Carbolic KOH KCO3
HNO3 Hydro cynic NH3OH NH2CO3
CaCO3
4. Miscellaneous
a) Electrocution b) Lightning c) Radiation d) Blast
Mechanical Or Physical Injuries
1. Abrasions (mechanical injury to cuticle & superficial layer of skin)
Types
a) Scratches or linear (by pointed objects nail, thorn, pin)
b) Grazed or sliding, scraping or grinding abrasions (by rough-wide
object) RTA, Brush burns
c) Pressure abrasion (perpendicular application of force) ligature mark
or nail mark in throttling
d) Imprint or impact, design of material or weapon
Characters
1. Frank bleed - +
2. Nature of wound mild
3. Blood loss minimal
4. Healing pattern
2. Bruisesor contusions Mechanical injury leading to subcutaneous
bleed.
i) Classification
a) Superficial, at site of voilence, short period in thin skin and
underlying lay tissue.
b) Deep bruise. Ex- black eye called as spectacle bruise.
c) Patterned bruise (shape) shapes assumes shape of weapon.
elongated in lattai
round hammer head
cone raised margins
ii) Medico-legal classification
a) Accidental RTA
b) Homicidal Finger tip in manual strangulation
c) Suicidal Fall from height
d) Artificial bruisng By irritant plant juice like chitrak, bhilar etc for
false charge of assault
Characters
1. Surface elevated
2. Bleeding internal extravasated
3. Blood loss depends
4. Healing pattern : red-violet-blue-brown-green-yellow
3. Lacerated wounds results of splitting, tearing, stretching or grinding
of tissues.
Ex : Railway or RTA, claws, horns or legs of animals.
Types :
a) Stretch Stripping off
b) Spit
c) Tears
d) Crush or grinding
Characters
- Margins are irregular
- Blood loss heavy
- Tissue are torn not cut
- Infiltration of blood in tissues
Cut Lacerations :- (incised looking lacerated occurs in wounds). Usually
in stretched skins like on scalp, chin, shin, orbital margins etc. tissue
is torn and spit type of lacerated wound is seen which looks like
insided wound.
4. Incised wounds Produced by sharp cutting weapons like knife,
scalpel, blade etc
Characters :-
a) Margins regular, clean cut, everted.
b) Length is greater of all the 3 dimensions
c) Blood loss heavier than laserated ones
Heavy sharp weapons such as axe, swords etc produce chopped wound.
5. Stab wounds by pointed tip of sharp pointed weapons like knife,
arrow etc.
Differences
Points Incised wounds Lacerated wounds Stab wounds
1.Offending sharp objects or weap- blunt weapon or objects pointed sharp or bl-
agent ons. unt weapons.
2.Site anywhere on body usually on bony promin- anywhere usually
ence. Chest & abdomen.
3.Shape linear or spindle varies irregular linear regular
4.Margins smooth,even,everted irregular & often clean cut or lacerat-
& clean cut. Undetermined. ed depending on
weapons.
5.Abrasion absent except in chop present absent
On ends
6.Relative length , depth is gaping length>depth depth breadth &
Dimensions & broader than weapons depth
edge.
Points Incised wounds Lacerated wounds Stab wounds
7.Haemorrhage profuse & external slight & external varies acc. to site
but internal
8.Bruising near no- except in surrounding & very rare
by chopped underlying tissue
bruised.
9.Hair clean cut crushed or torn clean cut
10.Bones injuries unusual may be #ed rare inf in abdo-
men, chest, ribs.