Technical criteria for assessing the causes of whiplash injuries. Analysis of simulation parameters of road incident and injury risk assessments

The aim of the study is to describe practical application of criteria for whiplash injury evaluation based on a biomechanical simulation of human movement. The analysis of forces applied to the passenger’s body in an accident estimated using such a simulation can serve as additional verification of opinions formulated by forensic experts in cases involving whiplash injuries.

The study discusses the method of biomechanical simulation using the PC-Crash software as well as a neck injury criterion (NIC) and export of simulation results to determine NIC values. The above-mentioned method is to estimate the probability of whiplash injuries in a given case based on technical parameters of the crash.

Such methods are complementary to forensic examinations and should be routinely included in comprehensive forensic expert opinions and technical reconstructions of traffic incidents.

This additional method of analyzing the likelihood of whiplash injuries may serve as a basis for formulating conclusions in opinions implying a higher likelihood.