Bone beveling caused by blunt trauma: a case report

Abstract

The authors report a fatal case of blunt trauma to the skull caused by a rib of a beach umbrella. The skull displayed a round hole in the right temporal bone with typical internal beveling. Blunt trauma mimicking a gunshot wound (round perforation of the skull with internal beveling) is very rarely reported in the forensic literature.

A novel hypothesis for the formation of conoidal projectile wounds in sandwich bones

“…Despite lack of production of intact bioceramic conoids, comparison of plug morphology produced by low velocity impacts [15][16][17] with residual fracture morphology subsequent to medium and high velocity impacts reveals similarities that are indicative of a common fracture process. Whilst overlap in external morphology between conoidal wounds produced by blunt and projectile trauma has been reported previously [50][51][52], this is the first report of wounds inflicted at 150 m/s being identical internally to those produced at 850 m/s. These shared internal and external morphological features suggest that conoidal wounds form a distinct category of trauma characterised by trans-laminar crack propagation and bioceramic conoid production.…”

Fatal Chest Injury Caused by Windblown Beach Umbrella

“…Another important aspect of this case is the public health implication. Even when dangerous wind conditions have not been officially declared, gusts of wind have been shown in this case and other documented cases to move a beach umbrella with enough energy to inflict lethal trauma . The force determination in this particular case illustrates the magnitude with which this windblown beach umbrella struck the decedent (estimated at 3600 N, with the pressure exerted by the tip of the beach umbrella close to 16,000 PSI).…”

“…Gaps between ribs may provide an entry point for objects to gain access to the heart, the lungs, and the great vessels , although the beach umbrella tip carried enough force to fracture several adjacent ribs. Until this case, most literature reports of umbrella‐related injury describe injuries of the head; these provided evidence that beach umbrellas carried by the wind have enough force to produce lethal injury to the skull, brain, and encased structures . This case adds that windblown beach umbrellas may induce fatal thoracic trauma.…”

“…However, injuries and deaths caused by beach umbrellas are rarely documented. There have been reports of traumatic cranial and encephalic injury inflicted by windborne beach umbrellas . The following case is the first to document a fatal thoracic injury caused by a beach umbrella.…”

Interpol review of shoe and tool marks 2016-2019

“…In Quatrehomme et al. [ 154 ] a case of a victim with a blunt trauma in the skull mimicking a gunshot wound is described. The trauma was a round hole, with typical internal beveling.…”