A death due to concussive brain injury augmented by alcohol (case report).

We report here the case of a death following blunt trauma to the head in which the victim immediately became unconscious and remained unconscious until death. There were no associated intracranial bleeding or visible macroscopic/microscopic injuries to the brain. Additional injuries to other parts of the body included non-fatal contusions and abrasions. The victim was intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level of 168 mg/dl. Therefore, the conclusion was drawn that death in this case was due to the combination of the concussive effects of the head trauma and the central nervous system depressant effects of alcohol.