Why did the patient die? The relationship between ambulance accidents and death of patients: Forensic medical issues

Abstract

This article's aim is investigating traumatic consequences of ambulance accident on patients and discussing difficulties to give a decision about the relation between death and accident at these cases. The cases were selected among the forensic medical reports concluded between 1996 and 2005 years. They were documented for age, sex, causes of urgent call, localization and extent of traumatic lesion, properties of events and board decisions. A total of 21 cases were found. 15 cases died on the day of the accident. Skin injuries at head (8 cases) and legs (6 cases) were most common traumatic lesions. Totally 6 deaths were found related with ambulance accident. Death of patient after ambulance accidents may not be associated easily to the accident. Delay due to accident or concomitant contributing medical conditions may also facilitate the death in this type of cases. Reliable medical records were needed for accurate medicolegal evaluation. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.