Demographic study of pattern of medicolegal cases in Almora, Uttarakhand: A 2-year retrospective study

Medicolegal cases play a crucial role in the intersection of law and public health. Almora, located in Uttarakhand, has seen a variety of such cases over the past few years. Understanding the demographic and injury patterns of these cases can provide valuable insights for health and law enforcement systems in the region.

This study aims to analyze the demographic distribution, types of injuries, and the manner of medicolegal cases reported in Almora, Uttarakhand, from January 2022 to December 2024.

A retrospective study was conducted, analyzing 434 medicolegal cases from hospital records. Data collected included patient age, sex, type of injury, nature of injury, body site affected, manner of injury, type of vehicle involved, and the season of occurrence. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize these variables, and trends were observed across different demographic groups.

A total of 434 medicolegal cases were included in the study. The most affected age group was 26-35 years (23.70%), with males comprising 75.98% of the total cases. Lacerations were the most common type of injury (50.23%), followed by contusions (22.12%) and abrasions (15.91%). Accidental injuries dominated the cases, accounting for 74.26%, while homicidal and suicidal injuries made up 10.35% and 5.31%, respectively. The most frequently affected body sites included the forehead (5.67%), knee (2.09%), and shoulder (1.49%). Most of the cases occurred during the spring (36.59%) and summer (35.37%) months. Two-wheelers were involved in 74.26% of the vehicular accidents.

This study highlights significant trends in the occurrence of medicolegal cases in Almora, with a predominance of male victims and a high incidence of accidental injuries, particularly those involving two-wheelers. The findings stress the need for targeted public health campaigns focusing on accident prevention, especially road safety, and the enhancement of emergency services in the region to address the high frequency of injuries.