Multiple variations of firearm injuries - A case report

Variation from common findings in death due to firearm injury is not commonly encountered. When there is an atypical finding, the forensic pathologist may feel it difficult for differentiating firearm entry wound from firearm exit wound, tracing the wound track, estimating approximate range of firing and differentiating suicidal injury from homicidal injury. Failure to differentiate entry wound from exit wound can cause error in calculating number of projectiles entered into the body, lodged inside the body or exited through the body, besides posing problem in ascertaining direction of firing and direction of wound track etc. Failure to differentiate contact or close range firearm injury from distant range firearm injury can lead to wrong interpretation about the manner of death. The authors have reported a fatal case of rifled firearm injury showing multiple variations from common findings. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.