Fatal Injury Due to Shattered Fragments of Brittle Materials

Korean J Leg Med. 2010 May;34(1):63-66. English.

Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Division of Forensic Medicine, National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Korea. sanchee@korea.kr

With fragments of brittle materials including glasses, ceramics, metals, plastics, and stones, various wounds can be formed by accident or homicide. We experienced two cases with fatal injury from shattering of brittle materials accidentally. In the first case, a woman died from the left subclavian artery transection by a projected fragment from a mug shattering. In the second case, a man pilfer died of the right popliteal artery and vein transection by fragments from shattering of a glass bottle. We represented these cases to adress it in depth the significance of deaths associated with fatal injuries caused by shattered fragments of brittle materials on the viewpoints of forensic pathology.

Key words : fatal injury, shattered fragments, brittle materials, forensic pathology

Case report