Electrocution and Lightning Strike

: Pollak S, Saukko P

: Siegel JA, Saukko PJ, Houck MM

Publisher: Academic Press

: Waltham

: 2013

: Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences

: 146

: 153

: 978-0-12-382165-2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-382165-2.00175-6

Electricity may affect and damage the human body by triggering excitation processes (muscle contraction and ventricular fibrillation) or by electrothermal effects (burns). In low-voltage electrocution, the latter ones are located at the contact sites (live conductor and earth, respectively). In fatal electrocution, ventricular fibrillation is the main cause of death, whereas electric marks only indicate that an electrotrauma has occurred. In high-voltage fatalities, arcing may be followed by extensive burns as the current predominantly passes over the surface of the body. Although most electric fatalities are accidents, suicide or even homicide always has to be borne in mind. Lightning strikes are due to a sudden environmental discharge between a cloud and the ground resulting in a high-voltage direct current of extremely short duration. Victims struck by lightning may show a great variety of external signs, for example, burns, Lichtenberg figure and – in survived cases – also transient neurological sequelae and other symptoms.