Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 17, Issue 2 , Pages 99-101, February 2010

Chronic hepatitis C – Assessment in civil law: A case study

  • Bruno Miguel Santos, MD (Resident)

      Affiliations

    • Centre Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine, IP, Largo da Sé Nova, 3030-213 Coimbra, Portugal
    • Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
    • Centre of Forensic Sciences, FCT, Portugal
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Address: Delegação Centro – Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal, IP, Largo da Sé Nova, 3030-213 Coimbra, Portugal. Tel.: +351 239 854 230; fax: +351 239 820 549.
    • ,
  • Paula Sousa, MD (Forensic Expert)

      Affiliations

    • Centre Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine, IP, Largo da Sé Nova, 3030-213 Coimbra, Portugal
    • Centre of Forensic Sciences, FCT, Portugal
    • ,
  • Filomena Mena, RN (Forensic Nurse)

      Affiliations

    • Centre Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine, IP, Largo da Sé Nova, 3030-213 Coimbra, Portugal
    • ,
  • Graça Santos Costa, MD (Senior Forensic Expert)

      Affiliations

    • Centre Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine, IP, Largo da Sé Nova, 3030-213 Coimbra, Portugal
    • Centre of Forensic Sciences, FCT, Portugal
    • ,
  • Francisco Corte-Real, MD PhD (Professor, Director)

      Affiliations

    • Centre Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine, IP, Largo da Sé Nova, 3030-213 Coimbra, Portugal
    • Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
    • Centre of Forensic Sciences, FCT, Portugal
    • ,
  • Duarte Nuno Vieira, MD PhD (Professor and Head)

      Affiliations

    • Centre Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine, IP, Largo da Sé Nova, 3030-213 Coimbra, Portugal
    • Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
    • Centre of Forensic Sciences, FCT, Portugal

Received 14 November 2008; received in revised form 8 July 2009; accepted 9 September 2009.

Abstract 

This article describes the case of a 58-year-old man who asked for an assessment of physical damage of a civil nature, having been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C for which he blamed a blood transfusion, supposedly contaminated with hepatitis C virus (HCV). After studying the documentary information, a number of presuppositions were drawn up with a view to determining the causal nexus, but this could not be proved. The assessment of situations like this is not common in civil law. This article is intended to add to the body of information on the forensic assessment of similar cases.

Keywords: Civil law, Chronic hepatitis C, Causal nexus

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PII: S1752-928X(09)00155-3

doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2009.09.007

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 17, Issue 2 , Pages 99-101, February 2010

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