*Corresponding author:
John J Smith, PE, MSS, BSGP, Licensed Professional Engineer, Missouri, USAReceived: August 23, 2017; Published: September 13, 2017
DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2017.01.000356
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A scenario plays out every day in America. A collision occurs, the party is transported by EMS, or sees the Doctor soon afterwards, and a chain of medical treatment ensues. The medical providers report objective findings and opine that the treatments are necessary and reasonable. Despite this, when reimbursement is sought, a report appears from an engineer/scientist and without scientific or engineering basis the author claims that the injury is not related to the event. To support the opinions of the hired analyst, a series of assertions are made in an attempt to discredit the treating providers’ opinions. While not predicated upon any valid engineering or science, the medical providers may have trouble being reimbursed for the reasonable and necessary services.
This article looks at many of the common misconceptions regarding traumatic events and provides the reader with the knowledge necessary to address the inaccurate claims. In the field of biomechanics, the key issue is; were there forces, loads and moments applied in the areas where the medical providers have found the injuries. Engineers should not be used to discount medical treatments, let Doctors be Doctors.
Areas that will be addressed are
A. The claim of an injury threshold.
B. The comparison of a traumatic event to daily activities.
C. The damage to a vehicle determines if a person is injured.
D. Safety optimized volunteer testing directly correlated to non-safety optimized real world events.
E. Change in velocity is important in a motor vehicle collision.
Abbreviations: NHTSA: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Don’t Let Engineers Determine Injuries| Injury Threshold Claims| Traumatic Events Compared to Daily Activities| The Damage to the Vehicle Determines if the Person is Injured| Safety Optimized Volunteer Testing Directly Correlate to Non Safety Optimized Real World Events| Conclusion| References| Figures|