Assessment of Load and Medico-legal Profile of Firearm Injuries and Associated Deaths at SMS Hospital, Jaipur During the Year 2014–2015

Gun shot injuries are a great challenge for medical professionals because of high mortality rate. Survival of victim depends upon the extent of damage and promptness of medical services.

Present study was undertaken to analyse medico-legal aspects of fatal gunshot injuries to provide data in Jaipur region.

Hospital based Descriptive Observational Study.

Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, SMS Medical College and attached hospitals, Jaipur (A tertiary health care centre in north-western INDIA) during the study period of 17 months (May 2014 to October 2015).

Out of 23, 584 registered medico-legal cases 115 were cases of gunshot injuries with burden of 0.49%. 11 cases were of fatal out of 5135 autopsies conducted. 05 fatal cases died within 6 hours, Homicides were the most common manner of incidence, Rifled firearm weapons were the preferred employed firearm weapon, more than half cases of distant fires were the offending shot in the present study.

Rifled firearm weapons were the most commonly employed firearm weapon. Coma and Shock resulting from gunshot injuries were the cause of death in most fatal cases.