In which of the following injuries is the contrecoup injury characteristically more severe than the coup injury?

• A Stationary head struck by a moving object
• B Moving head struck by a stationary object ✓
• C Penetrating injury by a high-velocity missile
• D Coup injury is always more severe than contrecoup

Explanation

Contrecoup injury predominates when the moving head strikes a stationary surface (e.g., a fall). Inertia causes the brain to continue moving after the skull decelerates abruptly, slamming the brain into the opposite inner table. Conversely, when a moving object strikes a stationary head, coup injury dominates because the brain moves with the skull, concentrating the impact at the site of contact. This distinction is essential in distinguishing falls from assaults.

Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Narayan Reddy), 34th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.