A junior doctor asks why two workers exposed to the same faulty 230 V line suffered vastly different injuries: one had only a small contact mark on the finger, the other died instantly. According to standard forensic teaching, the single most important factor determining the severity of an electrical injury and the risk of death is:

• A Voltage of the source circuit
• B Amperage (current strength) actually flowing through the body ✓
• C Duration of skin contact alone
• D Ambient temperature at the scene

Explanation

Current strength in milliamperes flowing through the body is the decisive factor, since it is the current that produces tetanic muscle contraction, respiratory arrest, and ventricular fibrillation. Voltage matters only because it drives the current across tissue resistance, and duration and skin moisture act by altering how much current passes. This is why a person can touch a very high potential source briefly without harm if little current flows, while a modest domestic voltage under good earthing conditions can be fatal.

Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 7th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.