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On Sunday
March 6, Dateline MSNBC hosted a gentleman by the name of Brian O’Neill,
the CEO and president of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS),
to demonstrate and discuss his findings of side impact crashes.
This was of particular interest to me because I am a member of the
Spine Research Institute of San Diego. I participated in many of their
programs and have successfully tested and completed the courses.
It
was exciting to see one of my former CRASH instructors, Mr. O’Neill, on
Dateline discussing the trauma induced in side impact.
What side impact means has been referred to as “T-Boned.”
The bullet car strikes the center of a moving or braked target
vehicle. They use very sophisticated dummies that are called RID
Dummies. They cost $125K to
$300K and are only good for 10 to 20 impacts.
These dummies measure geometric ratings as force, inertia, strike
rate of acceleration, deacceleration, and closure of impact.
The
side impact to the cervical spine (neck) is most dangerous at this point
because there is less strength via muscles. An example is on a 30mph impact
the victim’s head who is struck has the ability to strike sideways and
return within 2 milliseconds (2/1000 second).
That would be similar to a jet pilot who has just exerted 9 g-force
in 2 milliseconds (2/1000 second). I
certainly agree with Brian O’Neill that this is the most serious of
impacts, as people can get up and walk away from this injury and later with
medical follow-up find out they have broken ribs, internal disorders and
injuries. As chiropractic
professionals, we know that it is impossible for the body to take this kind
of insult without obtaining micro lesions (microscopic tears) that will
later cause pain, mental disorders, forgetfulness, etc.
It should be understood that in the last year professionals are now
beginning to understand that an injury that occurred may show up as many as
3 years later.
It
is my opinion that insurance companies are well aware of this and usually in
the beginning are very quick to find a settlement. The buzzword in the community of insurance companies is often
blown off as a “soft tissue injury."
If
you wish to see the side impact and the damages and report of injuries by
Mr. O’Neill, this can be found on www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7088736
. The course he
presented in November 2004 to the Spinal Research Institute of San Diego was
new dynamic tests for seats and headrests and inertia forces insured
initiative. That website is www.SRISD.com.
If
you feel you have been injured and have not gotten relief, or you are tired
of the prolonged medications, think of us…The Chiropractor.
Chiropractically
Yours,
Dr.
Robert R. Zinser
drzinser@SBCglobal.net
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