title: Distribution of facial injuries in cases involving a fall on a flat surface.
abstract: Determination whether injuries identified on the victim's head were caused by a blow made by another person or by a fall resulting in hitting a surface.
  
  
  
  An analysis of archive photographs taken routinely at the Forensic Institute in Krakow, Poland, to document post-mortem examinations in the years 2004-2012.
  
  
  
  A comparative analysis of the images clearly shows that certain areas are much more vulnerable to contact with the surface and thus to injuries; other areas are clearly protected in the case of a fall on a flat surface.
  
  
  
  In the case of a fall on a solid, flat surface, injuries are located first of all on brow ridges, nasal bridge and nasal apex, on the malar area and on the front surface of the chin. The following areas are clearly protected: eyelids, eyebrows, medial and upper parts of the cheeks, lips and the lower part of the chin.
authors.affiliation: Paweł Kopacz, Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College Grzegórzecka 16, 31-531 Krakow, Poland, e-mail: pawelkopacz@interia.pl.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kopacz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konopka
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bolechała
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strona
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000473:pathology*