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Citation |
Semeraro D, Passalacqua NV, Symes S, Gilson T. J. Forensic Sci. 2012; 57(6): 1625-1629. |
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Affiliation |
Rhode Island Office of State Medical Examiners, 48 Orms Street, Providence, RI 02904. Department of Anthropology, Michigan State University, 354 Baker Hall, East Lansing, MI 48823. Department of Applied Forensic Sciences, Mercyhurst College, 501 E 38th Street, Erie, PA 16546. State of Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 11 Shuttle Road., Farmington, CT 06032. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2012, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
22583137 |
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Abstract |
Understanding patterns of trauma is important to determining cause and manner of death. A thorough evaluation of taphonomy, trauma, and bone fracture mechanisms is necessary to reconstruct the circumstances of the death. This study examines the skeletal trauma caused by boat propeller strikes in terms of wound characteristics and location based on three cases from Rhode Island. These case studies review the traumatic characteristics caused by propeller injuries and highlight the anatomic regions most likely to sustain skeletal trauma. With this information, investigators may be able to identify propeller trauma even in severely decomposed remains. The discussion of boat propeller trauma also raises issues regarding how forensic anthropologists and forensic pathologists classify trauma (specifically blunt force vs. sharp) and highlights semantic issues arising in trauma classification. The study also discusses why these propeller cases should be classified as blunt trauma rather than sharp or chop/hack trauma. Ultimately, the authors urge consistency and communication between pathologist and forensic anthropologists performing trauma analyses. Language: en |