With many bodily injury claims arising from vehicle collisions, slips and falls, product use, and industrial accidents, the alleged injury may seem inconsistent with the conditions of the accident.

To find out what really happened when the loss description seems downright implausible, claim adjusters and investigators increasingly rely on biomechanical engineers. The effective collaboration between these two parties to reveal the true nature and extent of claimed injuries — and thus quell insurance fraud — was the subject of "Injury Causation: Did the Injuries Really Happen Here? Assessing Injury Causation Using Biomechanical Engineering," a workshop held during the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) conference last week.

David Gushue, PhD, biomedical engineer at ARCCA Incorporated, hosted the workshop, which was a continuation of the well-received ARCCA IASIU seminars of 2007 and 2008. Dr. Gushue began with the same fundamental framework as past biomechanical seminars, adding fresh examples, data, and video footage to convert scientifically complex concepts into easily digestible morsels for the laymen.