Identification: 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 · Identification

Sample item

What is the limitation of visual identification after severe trauma or decomposition?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Appearance may be unreliable and misleading

Severe trauma, decomposition, or distress can make visual recognition unreliable; primary identifiers such as fingerprints, dental records, or DNA are preferred.

Option by option

  • A. It establishes cause of death

    Identity does not determine cause of death.

  • B. Appearance may be unreliable and misleading (correct)

    Correct: altered appearance limits reliability.

  • C. It replaces dental comparison

    Dental comparison remains valuable.

  • D. It always equals DNA confirmation

    Visual recognition is not equivalent to DNA.

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 B, Appearance may be unreliable and misleading. Severe trauma, decomposition, or distress can make visual recognition unreliable; primary identifiers such as fingerprints, dental records, or DNA are preferred.

Why is "It establishes cause of death" not the answer?

Identity does not determine cause of death.

Why is "It replaces dental comparison" not the answer?

Dental comparison remains valuable.

Why is "It always equals DNA confirmation" not the answer?

Visual recognition is not equivalent to DNA.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Identification in Forensic Medicine. The correct option holds because: Correct: altered appearance limits reliability.

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 Identification?

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.