ABSTRACT
Lars Oesterhelweg and Michael J. Thali
A large category of deaths handled in medicolegal investigations encompasses those of natural origin. Within this category are the unexpected deaths of individuals functioning in the community who suddenly collapse and die and individuals who are found dead, such as in their apartment with an unlocked entrance. In some of these cases, supercial injuries such as abrasion or bruises could be found due to so-called agonal injuries, and a foreign hand involved in the cause of death could often not be excluded by scene investigation and external examination. These injuries are often bruises or lacerations on the face or to the galea due to falls or uncoordinated movements in the moment of death that might mimic blunt force from foreign hands. On the other hand, many cases with seemingly natural causes of death (e.g., pneumonia) are directly related to nonnatural triggers like accidents or assaults.
