Medicolegal Case

By Dr. D. Abhishek Achary

( Roll No- 1780038)
Introduction

In simple term, it is a medical case with

legal implication for the attending
doctor, after eliciting history and
examining the patient ,thinks that some
investigation by law enforcement
agencies is essential.
Recieving a MLC
A doctor can recieve a medico- legal case in
any of the 4 situation:
• A case is brought by the police for
examination and reporting, or order of the
court for medical examination.’
• The person in question was already
attended by a doctor and a MLC was
registered in the previous hospital , and
the person is now referred for expert
advise/ management.
• When patient himself expresses his
intention to register a case against alleged
accused.
• After eliciting history and examining the
patient , the attending doctor feels that
some investigation by law enforcement
agencies is essential to establish and fix
responsibility for the case. It depends
upon the doctor to whether the case
should be treated as MLC or not , when
the history is not completely revealed
either the patient or his relative due to
some motive.
In KIMS emergency there comes various cases
which should be considered as medico- legal such
as:-
• Cases of Trauma/assault
• Cases of poisoning
• Cases of RTA, Factory or other unnatural
accidents.
• Cases of hanging.
• Margins:- Ragged , irregular , Uneven
• Site:- Most common over bony prominence like head
• Bruising and abrasion seen around the margin .
• Depth of the wound shows bridges of irregularity torn
fibrous , blood vessels and nerves across the interior
of the wound.
• Soiling of wound.
• Shape of wound gives us idea about the weapon or
object which produce them.
• Gaping due to pull of elastic and muscular tissue , on
healing produces permanent scar.
Complication

• May cause severe and fatal bleeding leading to

shock and death.
• Infection.
• Irritation, pain, dysfuction.
 Medico legal importance

• Types of laceration may indicate the cause of injury

and shape of blunt weapon .
• Nature of injury
• Whether the laceration is
accidental/homicidal/suicidal.
 Conclusion

• Medico-legal cases have to be dealt with properly, following the institution's prevailing

guidelines.

• Usually, all the big hospitals and the teaching institutions have an 'institutional medico-legal

manual' which gives, in a step-wise detail, the correct procedure of dealing with the various

kinds of MLCS.

• Proper documentation, timely information, a methodical and thorough examination including

all relevant investigations and referrals, etc, are all that are necessary to see such cases

completed successfully.
THANKYOU