Rule of nine is basically used to estimate the surface area involved with burns to estimate the iv fluid to be infused into the patient. As far as forensic medicine is concerned it can be said whether burn is sufficient to cause death in ordinary course of nature or not.

@Pratik Patel: Doesn't the mentioning of burnt areas alone suffice in answering that

From medico-legal point of view you should also take into account whether the burns occured pre or post mortem.

The nature or manner... perhaps. If taken into account the surface and the position of the burns.

Please don't confuse Manner of death and cause of death.... Cause of death is from the results of a Post Mortem examination and the Manner are the circumstances and proper scene investigation that surround the person's death. The rule of nines can come into play with the location of the burns, and if the story or death scene shows something different from the body. The death can be deemed suspisious.

No, rule of nine is not helpful for determining manner of death.

it is used to determine the percentage of burn surface area of body. it is also useful to determine the line of treatment for calculating volume of body fluids to be infused as per Parkland formula or any other formula.

Manner of death cannot be directly opined unless supported by crime scene detail, nature of inflammable substance, body surface involved and circumstances sought.

Calculating the body surface area burnt is useful for two reasons

1. As mentioned earlier by other colleagues for treatment and resuscitation

2. For medico legal purpose - to asses the how lethal the injury is

- if the percentage is less one can be punished for causing simple or grievous hurt

-if the percentage more which is likely or sufficient to cause death in ordinary course of nature then one can be punished for committing culpable homicide or homicide

( face could be an exception )

To add to Kumaran sir comment,

simple or grievous cannot be judged only on basis of percentage of burns.

It is the burn site and its after effects which can be determined to labelling it as simple or grievous.

For eg-- burns of any joint like elbow, knee however small, if causing fibrosis and loss of joint movement can be labelled as grievous.

Similarly if burn is involved only in neck region causing fibrosis of neck muscles can be labelled as grievous.