@article{ref1,
title="The discrepant severity of external and internal injuries in a traffic accident: The cushioning effect via a human body against direct impact: Autopsy cases",
journal="American journal of forensic medicine and pathology",
year="2009",
author="Nishitani, Yoko and Okazaki, Shunichiro and Suzuki, K. and Imabayashi, Kiyomi and Katada, Ryuichi and Matsumoto, Hisashi",
volume="30",
number="2",
pages="186-187",
abstract="Traffic accidents cause unexpectedly severe injuries of internal organs despite tiny injuries observed on the external body. A 51-year-old woman (subject 1) and a 54-year-old man (subject 2) were found dead on a road. Subject 1 had subcutaneous and intramuscular bleeding with décollement on the posterior aspect of her body, including upper cervical spine dislocation. Subject 2 did not exhibit any apparent findings on autopsy that were indicative of a direct injury by a motor vehicle, but had severe internal organ injuries, including the transection at the pontomedullary junction. We surmise that subjects 1 and 2 were walking in line with the vehicle which collided with them from behind, and then the body of subject 1 cushioned the direct impact of the vehicle against subject 2. This report illustrates the need of forensic autopsy for victims with no severe external injuries.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0195-7910",
doi="10.1097/PAF.0b013e3181879ceb",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PAF.0b013e3181879ceb"
}