The importance of the impact biomechanics on the assessment of whiplash injury

Abstract

Arguments of a diverse nature ranging from epidemiological to diagnostic justify the need to include the biomechanics of impact as part of the medico legal diagnosis of the cause of cervical post-traumatic syndrome (whiplash associated disorders). Biomechanical research comprises two distinct stages of forensic interest: firstly, laboratory research, using animals, corpses, and volunteers and, secondly, the study of actual collisions. This has contributed to the development of data collection devices which have helped to identify the physical parameters of an impact such as changes in velocity and acceleration in relation to the risk of whiplash injuries as well as other risk factors.Although the literature regarding the forensic use of thresholds that define the risk of injury is not population specific, there is sufficient evidence to individualise these thresholds of risk of injury in the medico legal diagnosis of causality, although this requires further research.