Abstract

It was aimed to evaluate forensic cases involving permanent dysfunction or loss of sensory or organ function due to trauma between 2017 and 2021 and compare impairment levels across the American Medical Association (AMA) Guide, the Turkish Penal Code (TPC) Injury Guide, and the 2008 Regulation on the Determination of Loss of Working Capacity and Professional Earning Power (2008 ÇMKG). A retrospective review of 126 forensic cases referred to the Department of Forensic Medicine at Gaziantep University was conducted. Cases were evaluated based on gender, age, trauma mechanism, time of admission, surgical history, affected anatomical region, life-threatening status, and fracture severity. Each case was assessed and categorized according to the TPC Injury Guide, 2008 ÇMKG, and AMA Guide. Kappa statistics were used to assess concordance among scales. Of the 126 cases, 88.1% were male (mean age: 40.5±16.9 years). The most common trauma causes were traffic accidents (34.9%) and firearm injuries (27%). Eye injuries (27%) were the most frequent among isolated injuries. Significant statistical discordance was observed between the TPC Injury Guide and the other two regulations, particularly in assessing eye, abdominal, and auditory injuries (Kappa < 0.1), whereas strong concordance was found between the AMA Guide and 2008 ÇMKG (Kappa > 0.9). The TPC Injury Guide lacks consistency with internationally accepted assessment methods and requires structural revision. Integrating anatomical and functional criteria and aligning with validated international scales like the AMA Guide will enhance forensic accuracy. The 2008 ÇMKG Regulation, although used in civil law contexts, is outdated and insufficient for modern forensic applications.

Key words: Forensic medicine, AMA guide, Turkish Penal Code, functional loss, injury classification, sensory dysfunction