Chinese Journal of Forensic Medicine 2016;31(5):480-481,484

doi:10.13618/j.issn.1001-5728.2016.05.014

Analysis of falling height and trauma in 246 cases of fatal fall

Xuesong LU ; Jianyu DAI ; Feng LI ; Haipeng JIA ; Bo CUI ; Yong ZHANG ; Han ZHANG

Keywords

forensic traumatology; fatal fall from height; bone fracture; body surface examination

Country

China

Language

Chinese

Abstract

Objective To analyze the characteristic of trauma in 246 fatal falls. Methods We collect 246 cases of fatal falls from Pudong district of Shanghai from 2005 to 2014, and then analyze the characteristics of trauma by using different parameters. Results The height in suicides by fall is higher than accidents by fall (25.7m:13.98m). In all fatal falls, head has a higher possibility in suffering trauma than other body regions (75.2%), while neck has a lower possibility (6.5%). The possibility of head trauma in accidents by fall is higher than suicides by fall (89.4%:75.2%). Conclusion Comparing with suicides by fall, victims in accidents by fall have lack of protection from limbs. Besides, the low rate of ifnding neck trauma suggests legal physicians should be more careful in examining this area.