Expert Consultancy - The Victorian Institute Of Forensic Medicine

Expert Opinion

Our staff provide expert forensic medical opinions for: injury interpretation; interpretation of medical services patients’ records and clinical notes; assistance with determining seriousness of injury; alcohol read back calculations; and assessment and opinion regarding driving under the influence of either drugs or alcohol.

The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine is unable to liaise with private individuals. All requests for an expert opinion must be submitted by a legal representative, or the police with a current, appropriate email address.

Contact: expert.opinion@vifm.org

Clinical Forensic Medicine

injury interpretation
electrical death and injury investigations
adult and child physical and sexual assault
clinical pharmacology (alcohol, drugs and driving skills)
custodial medicine
medico-legal issues in hospital medicine, general practice and emergency medicine
traffic medicine including fitness to drive.

Forensic Pathology

injury interpretation
cause of death
reconstruction of events around death in circumstances of homicide or suspicious deaths
advice in civil matters relating to workplace disease, death and injury
medical aspects of disaster management and Disaster Victim Identification.

Forensic Toxicology

testing for illicit, prescription and ‘over the counter’ drugs
interpretation of illicit, prescription and ‘over the counter’ drug concentrations
human pharmacology/pharmacokinetics
post-mortem drug interpretation
toxicology laboratory design, management, and operations
laboratory quality systems

Forensic Radiology

the conduct of clinical radiology investigations and procedures
forensic interpretation of clinical radiological studies
interpretation of post-mortem radiographic examinations
mortuary radiology design and operations including imaging protocols
forensic radiology equipment specifications
mortuary radiology management and administration
post-mortem radiology quality control including audit
occupational health and safety for mortuary-based radiology services
radiological imaging in disaster management and disaster victim identification.

Forensic Anthropology

identification of human remains
skeletal injury investigations
post-mortem changes to the human body
the investigation of clandestine graves
the investigation of mass graves
disaster management and Disaster Victim Identification

Forensic Odontology

craniofacial injury
craniofacial superimposition
dental trauma
comparative dental characteristics
human identification
bite mark analysis
review of community dental services
disaster management and Disaster Victim Identification.

Forensic Mortuary

emergency management including community fatality management
mortuary design and operations
mortuary management and administration
mortuary quality management
mortuary occupational health and safety
mortuary aspects of disaster management and Disaster Victim Identification.

Forensic Molecular Biology (DNA)

The molecular biology staff of the Forensic Services Division can provide scientific expert opinions across a range of fields relating to DNA analysis and interpretation including: testing of new or historic samples and the interpretation of the test results from other laboratories.