Post-Mortem Examination

The purpose of the external examination in a post mortem examination is to document the deceased's physical characteristics and injuries.

Ante-mortem abrasions are reddish-brown in color and heal without scarring, while post-mortem abrasions are yellow, translucent, and have a parchment-like appearance.

The two types of scratches caused by fingernails associated with throttling and strangulation are halfmoon configurations and scratches in an irregular pattern.

A tear laceration is caused when during the mechanism of overstretching, a body part touches a protruding object.

Grinding compression lacerations occur when the weight of a rotating object against the skin tears the skin off from the underlying tissues and produces a pocket of fat and blood on the site of the compression.

An incised wound, or cut, is caused by a sharp-edged instrument, such as a knife, blade or shattered glass, which is drawn against the skin.

Penetrating wounds are caused by sharp or pointed instruments, such as a knife or a sharp thin object like a needle or hatpin.

Strangulation with a ligature typically produces a linear mark which encircles the neck horizontally, while hanging produces groove abrasions in a V-shape rising towards the point of suspension.

Scrape or brush abrasions are caused by rough objects coming into contact with the wider surface of the skin. Impact or pressure abrasions occur when blunt force trauma is applied to the skin, crushing the skin. Friction abrasions are caused by linear pressure on the skin accompanied by movement.

Contusions, also known as bruises, are blunt force injuries that cause the veins and capillaries under the skin to rupture, resulting in blood escaping into the tissue beneath the skin. They are caused by various degrees of force, such as a firm grip, a heavy blow, a kick, or a blow with a blunt object.

Lacerations are produced when the skin and tissue below the skin tear as a result of excessive stretching. It is often difficult to determine the type of instrument/weapon that caused a laceration because lacerations can be produced through different mechanisms, such as splitting of the skin or overstretching of the skin.