Blunt instruments are weapons without sharp points or edges, such as baseball bats or sticks. Blunt force trauma can cause minor bruising or severe injury, and is different from penetrating trauma caused by piercing tools. Blunt instruments are often used in crimes and can lead to serious penalties, including death. Accidental injuries caused by blunt instruments can still be prosecuted. It is important to keep these items away from unsupervised children.
The phrase “blunt instrument” is used to describe a type of weapon that does not have a sharp point or edge. Examples of a blunt instrument include baseball bats, sticks, rocks and hockey sticks. In contrast, piercing tools, such as knives or bullets, have sharp points or edges and are usually more likely to injure than blunt tools.
Typically, the effect of using a blunt instrument is called blunt force trauma by medical professionals. Blunt force trauma has a variety of levels associated with it. Minor blunt force trauma is manifested by bruising and does not lead to permanent damage. The most severe cases of blunt force trauma are characterized by abrasions, lacerations and concussions and can lead to serious injury or even death. It is often difficult to ascertain the extent of blunt force trauma from internal injuries that have few or no external symptoms.
Blunt force trauma is different from penetrating trauma. Penetrating trauma is typically caused by a piercing tool entering the body. Although blunt force trauma can break the skin, the device used to inflict the injury does not normally pierce the body.
In most legal cases involving a blunt instrument, the instrument is used as a weapon by a person who intentionally injures another person. The tool in these cases can also be described as a blunt weapon. Blunt instruments are common in crimes because they are often ordinary items that are readily available.
The most typical cases involving blunt instruments are robberies, crimes of passion and hate crimes. Penalties for using a blunt instrument in a crime depend on the severity of the injuries. The most serious penalties are sought when the use of the blunt weapon leads to death.
Blunt instruments are a popular weapon in movies. In action movies, a character often makes use of a nearby object, such as a plank of wood or furniture, to attack another person or in self-defense. Blunt instruments are also featured in gang fight scenes and riot footage.
Like most weapons, blunt instruments are not always used intentionally. Blunt instrument injuries can occur accidentally through neglect or negligence. Typically, injuries caused by this type of use can still be prosecuted, but usually lower penalties are awarded. It’s a good idea to keep items that can be used as blunt instruments away from unsupervised children to avoid accidental injury.
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