Which statement about mechanism of injury (MOI) is correct?

• A. A nonsignificant MOI rules out the possibility of serious trauma.
• B. The exact location of injuries can be determined by MOI.
• C. A significant MOI always results in patient death or permanent disability.
• D. The MOI may allow you to predict the severity of injuries.

Answer: (D)

MOI reflects how energy was transferred to the body during an incident, and that transfer helps you gauge what kinds of injuries might be possible. By understanding the mechanism, you can estimate the likelihood that serious injuries have occurred and anticipate the overall severity, which informs rapid assessment, triage, and how you plan treatment. However, MOI doesn’t tell you exactly where injuries are or guarantee outcomes. A high-energy event raises suspicion for serious, multi-system injuries, while a significant MOI does not always result in death or permanent disability, and a low-energy MOI can still cause severe injury in some patients. So the best takeaway is that MOI can help you predict injury severity and guide evaluation, rather than pinpoint specific injuries or outcomes.