Medical jurisprudence is the scientific field that uses medical knowledge to solve legal problems. Cases in the realm of medico-legal practice require independent medical evaluations and expert testimony to prove a case. Teams of independent, non-biased doctors evaluate claims, injuries, medical history, and treatment protocols of the patient. From there, medical experts provide fact-based reports on the cause and severity of physical injuries and any short and long-term effects these injuries may have on their future.
A medico-legal case refers to an injury or illness case, which indicates investigation by law enforcement agencies, establishes and fixes the criminal responsibility for the case according to law.
The medico-legal case represents an integral part of medical practice in the emergency departments and causalities. Therefore, physicians should have adequate knowledge of their roles and responsibilities while handling these cases to aid legal justice.
A doctor can receive a medico-legal case:
The awareness of medico-legal aspects protects against commercial, legal, and medico-legal litigation. Supervision of the medical field is necessary to correct distortion and malpractices, which may adversely impact the profession. Essential health care facilities, standards of professional competence of therapeutic and diagnostic methods are increasing trends of complaints which are faced by hospital management currently. Therefore, updated knowledge among health care professionals and primary understanding of the importance of the Consumer Protection Act and its application needs adherence to be on a legal and safe side.
A medico-legal examination report comprises three limbs:
The medical report must contain the date, time, place, how, and the individual's condition, with a detailed history. If the person was accompanied by police, then the concerned authority's full name, designation, and phone number must be in such a report.
Record of general physical examination, all vitals, mental and physical level of orientation must be in the reports. A full description of the injury, along with its dimensions must be in it.
Opinion concerning the type of injury, nature of weapon, clot formation, hemorrhage, abscess, the color of the lesion, and its variations on healing should be recorded. If the injury is unidentifiable, a radiologist should take the x-ray with the MLC number written on it.
This Article Does Not Intend To Hurt The Sentiments Of Any Individual Community, Sect, Or Religion Etcetera. This Article Is Based Purely On The Authors Personal Views And Opinions In The Exercise Of The Fundamental Right Guaranteed Under Article 19(1)(A) And Other Related Laws Being Force In India, For The Time Being.
