The Gazette 1988

GAZETTE

MAY 1 9 88

with the codes of practice by which medical photographers work, and that is to say, that total con- fidentiality of what is part of the p l a i n t i f f 's confidential clinical records, is guaranteed. Medical photographers are often asked to photograph the cause or site of an accident as well as the result of it. It is not unusual to find medical photographers walking all four sides of a cross-road photo- graphing dotted lines in every compass direction. They can even be found in pot-holes, down man- holes, up scaffolding, entangled in industrial machinery, being pursued by farm animals, and just right there where the nice lady slipped in the shop. You will find the same methodi- cal and scientific approach will be given to requests for these non- medical photographs. The trained medical photographer for example wouldn't dream of photographing a road from the road edge. It is vital that in order for the correct pers- pective to be portrayed, and to avoid the effect of a diverging wide scene, photographs should be taken from the centre of the road itself, to a ratio comparable to that as viewed by the naked eye, all irrespective of the danger involved. One must never forget that the medical photographer comes into c on t a ct w i t h dange r ous and contagious disease in the course of his daily routine, and the prospect of being embedded onto the road surface by a truck, is of little concern.

than likely be too late for photo- graphs to be of much benefit, if they are commissioned at this late stage. Surely the legal profession has a duty to its clients to present as good a case as possible, be that in court or to the defence in a settlement situation, and photo- graphs as illustrative evidence are the most true and fair method of doing it. Taking the point just raised as to the uncertainty of a case actually going for trial or not, it is good acumen to have photographs of injuries taken anyway as this will act as a historical recording of the injury near to the time that it was sustained. Should the case then go on for trial later, then the photo- graphs can be reproduced and their full benefit appreciated. The idea that photography be regarded as an expense is a some- wh a t Dickensian f r uga l i t y, especially as it is not expensive at all. It does not take a medical photo- grapher to tell the legal profession that no proof can be submitted as evidence unless its origin can be proved. This makes one wonder why so many medical photographs p r esen t ed in cou rt are not contested. The professional medical photo- grapher who undertakes medico- legal work, will carry out the entire process himself, and this is done for t wo reasons. On one hand, it ensures that all the photographic evidence presented can be proved, and on the other hand it complies

The point about the reproduction size of photographs is the final obstacle in defence of this pro- fession. All medical photographs are taken to a range of universally accepted reproduction ratios. The most common set of which are the "Westminster Reproduction Ratios for Standard Anatomical Regions", and refer to a final image size on prints no bigger than 5" x 7". The perspective used to record areas of anatomy are also governed by similar standards. Medical photography works within very tight and rarely flexible parameters. Photographs of facial injuries are sometimes the subject of debate, when one considers that the plaintiff is present in court and the injury can be seen without the removal of c l o t h i ng. Where therefore is the need for medical photographs? The answer is one of perspective and lies in the fact that the judge being the arbiter, is often making his visual assessment from a distance and in conditions not conducive to his task. Some people in t he legal profession believe that photo- graphy as evidence is one of those unnecessary expenses especially if the case never gets to court. Some have even dismissed photography on the grounds of liability not being an issue. However, the purpose of photography is not to establish liability, but to provide convincing evidence. Nobody can say with absolute certainty if a case will go to court or not, and if it does, it will more

Photographs to be used as illustrative evidence of the scene of an accident are best taken from the centre of the road.

Photographs taken from the kerb or the edge of the road can give a misleading perspective.

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