Forensic epidemiology

The discipline of forensic epidemiology is a hybrid of principles and practices common to both forensic medicine and epidemiology. It is directed at filling the gap between clinical judgment and epidemiologic data in civil and criminal lawsuits^[1]

Forensic epidemiologists formulate evidence-based probabilistic conclusions about the type and quantity of specific causality between an antecedent and an outcome. These probabilistic conclusions can support legal decision-making regarding guilt or innocence in criminal actions, and the causation element of proof of liability in civil actions.

Applications of forensic epidemiology can be found in cases of medical negligence, toxic tort, mass tort, drug side effects, medical device failures, traffic crash-related injury and death, person identification or life expectancy.

Examples of Investigative Questions Addressed by Forensic Epidemiologists

What is likelihood that the asbestos exposure that Mr X experienced during his employment at company Z caused his lung cancer?
How likely is it that the DNA found on the forensic scene belongs to Mr X? What is the chance that you are wrong? Could you in your probability calculation take into account the other evidence that points towards the identification of Mr X?
Could you estimate the probability that the leg amputation of Mrs Y could have been prevented if the delay in diagnosis would not have occurred?
How likely is it that the heart failure of Mrs Y was indeed caused by the side effect of this drug?
What is the chance that the death that followed the administration of the opiate by 20 minutes was due to the drug and not to other (unknown) factors?
What is the chance that Mr. X would have needed neck surgery when he did if he had not been in a minor traffic crash the prior month?
How likely is it that the bladder cancer of Mrs Y was caused by passive smoking during her imprisonment given the fact that she was an ex-smoker herself?
Which liability percentage is reasonable in the given circumstance?
What would be the life expectancy of Mr X at the time of his death if the wrongful death not occurred?
How long is Mr X expected to survive, given his brain/ spinal cord injury, on a more probable than not basis?
Given the medical and non-medical evidence at hand regarding the circumstances of this traffic crash, what is the probability that Mrs Y was the driver?
Given the medical and non-medical evidence at hand regarding the circumstances of this car accident, what is the probability that Mr X was wearing a seat belt?
What is the probability that Mrs Y’s need for surgery resulted from the crash, vs. that it would have occurred at the same time if the crash had not happened?

External links

References

↑ Freeman, Michael; Zeegers, Maurice. Forensic Epidemiology: Principles and Practices. Elsevier. ISBN 9780124045842.

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