Tragic Vehicle Collision Leads to Unraveling of Pain and Suffering

Case Overview

This case involves an individual who tragically died in a vehicle accident involving a passenger vehicle that collided with another car. The driver lost control, hitting a guardrail on a newly constructed bridge, going beneath the guardrail, and ultimately plunging into the water. Understanding the circumstances surrounding the accident and the subsequent pain and suffering experienced by the individual prior to death is crucial for the plaintiff's case.

Questions to the Forensic Pathology expert and their responses

How often do you evaluate deceased patients for mechanisms of death?

I evaluate deceased patients for mechanisms of death every working day as a full-time forensic pathologist.

What are some potential etiologies of potential pain and suffering in people who have experienced MVAs such as the one described above?

Any broken bone will result in the most severe pain. Flesh wounds also cause pain, with the severity depending on the location. If drowning is a potential mechanism of death, asphyxia is a very terrifying way to die. Depending on the length of time from injury to death, a sense of doom as death becomes inevitable adds to the suffering.

About the expert

This expert has over 20 years of experience in forensic pathology. They earned a BS in biology from a private liberal arts college and a DO from a medical university in the Midwest. They then completed a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at a nationally recognized medical center and a fellowship in forensic pathology at a major county coroner’s office. Currently, the expert is dual board-certified in forensic pathology and anatomic and clinical pathology and is a member of a national professional association for medical examiners. They have previously held roles including chief deputy coroner, deputy medical examiner, and forensic pathologist at a large county office. Today, they serve as the chief deputy medical examiner and forensic pathologist for a county coroner’s office in the Midwest, where they also direct a forensic pathology fellowship program. Additionally, they hold academic appointments as a clinical associate professor and clinical assistant professor of pathology at two prominent medical schools in the region.

E-108305

Specialties:

Forensic Pathology