Case Examples

Motor vehicle accidents
Wrongful death

A heavy truck going 70 mph struck the rear of a 2nd heavy truck going 40 mph. The male driver of the 2nd truck was found dead in the cab of his truck after having suffered an atlanto-occipital dislocation (i.e., dislocation of the skull), fractured ribs and facial injuries. Eye witnesses said they spoke to a man who walked over to them from the 2nd truck and who did not appear injured and then saw the man return to the 2nd truck.

• What was the mechanism of the fatal injury?
• Did the injuries result from the collision or from a fall to the ground from the cab?

Motor vehicle accidents
Personal Injury

An automobile was stopped at a stop sign when it was rear-ended by another automobile said to be traveling at a speed of less than 5 mph. There was little damage to either vehicle. The man whose car was rear-ended suffered chronic headaches and shoulder pain as well as episodes of dizziness.

• Were these symptoms the result of the collision?
• What was the mechanism of injury?