I'm NOT an expert, so this is just me thinking/rambling about the subject. I don't see how they would be anymore lethal than a punch, yes, bad things can happen, but it seems like you could get more force behind a punch than an elbow. We only really train them to cut, not to KO, but that is a sport look at it, rather than a self defense look. In the courts, well, it really is going to depend on where you live to say what they will do. If it's self defense, you should be good, if they say that it's too much force, you may run into a problem, but lethal in the courts eyes? I would hope not, but you never know.