Mechanical injury: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Mechanical injury

Sample item

What injury pattern suggests a defensive wound?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Cuts on palms or forearms

Defensive injuries commonly occur on hands, palms, and forearms when a person attempts to shield themselves from an assault or sharp weapon.

Option by option

  • A. Cuts on palms or forearms (correct)

    Correct: palms and forearms are protective defensive surfaces.

  • B. Lividity on back

    Lividity reflects postmortem position, not defense.

  • C. Bruise on shin only

    An isolated shin bruise is nonspecific.

  • D. Old surgical scar

    An old surgical scar is not an acute defense injury.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Cuts on palms or forearms. Defensive injuries commonly occur on hands, palms, and forearms when a person attempts to shield themselves from an assault or sharp weapon.

Why is "Lividity on back" not the answer?

Lividity reflects postmortem position, not defense.

Why is "Bruise on shin only" not the answer?

An isolated shin bruise is nonspecific.

Why is "Old surgical scar" not the answer?

An old surgical scar is not an acute defense injury.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mechanical injury in Forensic Medicine. The correct option holds because: Correct: palms and forearms are protective defensive surfaces.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Mechanical injury?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.