Emedinews:Insighst on Medicolegal Issues:Preparation of MLC in injury cases

• The injuries produced by a blunt weapon on tense skin covering the bones, as on scalp, eyebrow, iliac crest, shin, perineum, knee or elbow look like incised wounds
• While preparing the MLC report, the doctor should keep in mind that he has to provide clues about the weapon used (sharp-edged or otherwise), the direction of the force, the duration of injury, and the location of the wound which may suggest mode of production i.e. suicide, accident, homicides along with whether the injury is fabricated or otherwise
• The wounds produced by a blunt weapon or by a fall on the hard surface, object, on tense structures/skin covering the bones, such as the scalp, eyebrow, iliac crest, shin, perineum, knee or elbow when the limb is flexed look like incised wound. But lacerated wounds, also called split lacerations, are caused by blunt force and create confusion in the mind of doctor, public and police official about sharp weapon.
• When the incised looking wounds are examined by doctor under magnifying lens, the edges of such wounds are found to be irregular with bruising and wounds are produced by blunt weapon.
• Neatly incised laceration is considered as incised wound and broken glass as dangerous weapon.
• An incised wound, cut, slash, and slice is a clean cut through the skin may or may not underlying tissues and structures caused by sharp edged instruments, which is longer than the depth of wound. It is produced by infliction of an object having a sharp cutting edge such as knife, razor, blade, scalpel, sword over the body.