Fatal Descent from Height in New York City

Abstract

All deaths due to descent from height that underwent autopsy at the Manhattan Office of Chief Medical Examiner of New York City over a two year period (1997–1999) were reviewed. The scene and autopsy findings, psychiatric history, and toxicology results were examined. There were 120 deaths: 77 suicides, 36 accidents, 5 undertermined, and 2 homicides. Psychiatric illness was reported in 86% of suicides. The toxicological detection of psychiatric medications supports the high percentage of psychiatric disease in the suicide group. In the accidental group, the detection of ethanol and illicit drugs was higher (36%) than expected from the case investigation and similar to the suicide group (29%). Accidental falls by women made up fewer than 3% of all manners. Due to the variation in the extent of injuries, it is unwise to attempt to conclude how high a person descended based on the autopsy findings. Descents into water commonly have minimal findings on external examination with marked internal injuries. The methods of investigation and criteria for death certification using the study results are discussed.

Fatal fall from Height Cases in Shanghai, China, 2002-2011

“…On the other hand, accident rate (30.8%, 4/13) was also higher than the overall (18.8%, 42/223). These findings were similar to the previous reports [2,4]. The proportion of foreign individuals was high.…”

Causes and circumstances of fatal falls downstairs

“…Also Mosenthal et al [9] agree in the role of alcohol abuse in adult fall victims. Other studies support unanimously the enhanced over all risk for trauma in drunken individuals [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. On the contrary Velmahos et al [20] report that the absence of severe intoxication (BAC < 200 mg/dl) is to be seen as risk factor for significant injuries, but this study only comprises non-fatal events.…”

Falls from flat roofed house in and around the city of Rewa, Madhya Pradesh: a study from central India

“…15 In our series, 122 (60.3%) of the 202 patients had fallen from flat-roofed houses, the majority (78.7%) of patients were men. 9,11,[16][17][18] The age group most commonly affected and with highest mortality rate with accidental falls were 11-30 years which is most productive population. 16,19,20 In present study majority of cases occurred during summer season between 4:00 pm to midnight because of vacation kite flying which is very common during this season and secondly absence of parapet in house in rural areas leading to increased number of fall cases in children and also adult group, another important factor for injury during kite flying was running for catching the broken or cut kite from one roof to another because houses in present setting were in close proximity to each other without any gap leading to serious injury from fall due loss balance.…”