Injury Documentation and Evidence Handling Flashcards
7 cards from real ABFM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Injury Documentation and Evidence Handling flashcards as text
When documenting patterned injuries, which feature is MOST important to capture for potential weapon identification?
Answer: Shape, dimensions, and distribution of the pattern
Patterned injuries reflect the geometry of the causative object, so precise shape, dimensions, and distribution allow comparison with suspected weapons.
A forensic examiner photographs a bite mark. Which lighting technique best reveals three-dimensional detail of the indentation?
Answer: Oblique (raking) lighting
Oblique lighting casts shadows across surface irregularities, enhancing the three-dimensional topography of indentations like bite marks.
Chain of custody documentation is PRIMARILY intended to:
Answer: Demonstrate evidence integrity and prevent tampering claims
Chain of custody records every transfer of evidence to prove it has not been altered, contaminated, or substituted, supporting its admissibility in court.
A sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) collects dried secretions from skin using a moistened swab. This technique is commonly called:
Answer: Double-swab technique
The double-swab technique uses a moistened swab first to rehydrate and collect the sample, followed by a dry swab to absorb remaining moisture.
Under HIPAA, a forensic examiner may release a patient's medical records to law enforcement WITHOUT patient authorization when:
Answer: Responding to a valid court order or subpoena
HIPAA permits disclosure of protected health information to law enforcement pursuant to a court order, warrant, or legally enforceable subpoena.
Contrecoup injuries are MOST characteristically associated with:
Answer: Blunt impact to a stationary head causing injury at the opposite pole
Contrecoup injuries occur at the brain pole opposite the impact site when the moving brain rebounds against the skull interior during sudden deceleration.
When sealing a paper evidence bag containing biological material, the examiner should use:
Answer: Tamper-evident tape initialed across the seal
Tamper-evident tape with the examiner's initials crossing the seal provides visible proof of any unauthorized opening and authenticates the seal.