Legal & Forensic Importance of Human Anatomy

Forensic Clinical Anatomy may be defined as the practical application of Clinical Anatomy to ascertain and evaluate medico-legal problems. Individual Anatomy (normal anatomy, anatomical variations, age-, disease- or surgery-related modifications) may acquire relevant significance in various fields of Legal Medicine, such as Child Abuse, Sudden Death, Medical Responsibility and/or Liability, Personal Injury and Damage. Anatomical data of forensic interest may arise from the correct application of methods of ascertainment and anatomical methodologies may then be required for further comprehensive analysis. The rigorous interpretation of the anatomical data, derived from the ascertainment phase and analysed on the basis of pertinent literature, may be pivotal for the correct application of evaluation criteria in various forensic contexts. Awareness of the relevance of Individual's Anatomy should be one of the principles guiding the Clinician to Personalized Medicine; conversely, in Personalized Justice, medico-legal analyses cannot ignore the implications of individual anatomy in terms of ascertainment and evaluation.