Death due to severe blood loss following an accidental lesion to the femoral vessels

Abstract

Deaths from sharp force injuries are a significant cause of violent death. While homicides and suicides caused by sharp force wounds are common, accidental injuries are less often described in forensic literature, so their actual incidence or prevalence is not known. This paper presents an accidental death due to massive blood loss which resulted from lesions to the left femoral vessels by glass fragments. The body was found in a pool of blood surrounded by hundreds of glass fragments. Autopsy revealed a near-total transection of the superficial femoral artery, and two wounds of the superficial femoral vein. In case of accidental sharp force injuries, a thorough medico-legal process, including death scene investigation, autopsy examination and toxicological analyses, is always necessary to determine the manner of death.