[Legal aspects of vascular injuries and their forensic medical sequelae]

The questions which an expert opinion should answer are presented in the first part of this article: evaluation of the physical or functional handicap, evaluation of the occupational handicap, analysis of any cause and effect between the trauma and the arterial injury. Four criteria are studied: the former status of the patient, the nature of the injury, the time of onset of the signs or delay to onset of disorders, and certain diagnosis. The second part of the article concerns the general methodology used in vascular injuries. In the third part professional responsibility is discussed-three conditions, and all three, are necessary for malpractice to be retained: 1) Prejudice or harm to the patient, 2) Error committed by the practitioner, 3) A causal relationship between the error and the verified harm. The four levels of medical responsibility are recalled: penal, civil, administrative and ordinal. Finally the physician's management of vascular injuries can also lead to legal pursuits.