Determining whether the forces at play could actually cause the injury being claimed.
Biomechanical analysis of injury causation for auto accidents, slip and falls, and defective product claims, backed by 45+ years of trial experience.
We analyze the internal and external forces acting on the body to determine whether, and how severely, they caused a specific injury. That means understanding the physiological and mechanical properties involved, how much force it actually takes to tear cartilage, strain a tendon, or injure soft tissue, not just the accident dynamics around it.
When injury causation is disputed, when an insurer questions whether an accident could plausibly have caused the claimed injury, or when a case depends on connecting a specific mechanism of injury to a specific event. Common in slip, trip and fall claims, low-speed rear-end impacts, cumulative trauma disorder cases, and defective implant litigation.
We calculate the impact forces involved, from gravity, seatbelt restraints, bumpers, or the collision itself, and evaluate the relationship between those forces and the injury's cause and severity. This draws on physics, biomedical and biomechanical engineering, and the accident reconstruction itself, since the two questions are rarely separable: you can't credibly explain the injury without first establishing the event that caused it.
Biomechanics applies mechanical engineering principles to biological tissue. Specifically, mechanics (how a material or structure deforms under load) and dynamics (how an object or structure moves) are applied to examine whether the known cause of a specific injury (i.e., the mechanism) is consistent with the physical laws.
Biomechanics shows up all around us. It has shaped vehicle safety systems (seatbelts, airbags, and how vehicles crush), workplace environments, and understanding the limits of human performance. As such, biomechanics can be applied to examine how the body moves during a vehicle collision, a workplace accident, a fall, and more.
Examples of how biomechanics has been applied at BKA include the following:
Even if the injury is the only evidence available, a biomechanical expert can explain how it could have occurred, when it most likely occurred, and how to prevent future injury.
Do you work independently or alongside a reconstruction? Both. Biomechanical analysis is often most persuasive paired with the reconstruction itself, and our team handles both under one engagement when needed.
What kinds of injuries have you evaluated? [PLACEHOLDER: confirm a representative list with Michael beyond what's already on the current site]