UNUSUAL EXPLANATION FOR THE DEATH OF A CAR PASSENGER

After collision of a car with the left rearside against a steel mast t he 19-year-old front seat passenger was found comatose on the seat. CT imaging showed a depression fracture parietal on the left with an int racerebral haemorrhage on the opposite side. The cause of the injury w as unknown to the surgeons at the time of operation. Despite neurosurg ical intervention the patient died 24 h after the accident. The post-m ortem showed an additional depression fracture at the base of the skul l in the right temporal region arousing suspicion of an impalement inj ury. Only inspection of the car by the forensic pathologists revealed the gas pressure telescopic shock absorber to be the cause of the head injury.