These were a large boggy scalp hematoma, any sign of
basal skull fracture, and a risky mechanism of injury (such as falling a distance of 3 feet or more, failing down five or more stairs, or a motor vehicle accident).
Three other NASCAR drivers have died in the past nine months from the same potentially preventable injury,
basal skull fracture.
Sentinel staff writers Roger Roy and Jeff Kunerth, in their March 11 story, wrote that Editor Franklin "wants a medical expert to review the photos to determine whether Earnhardt died of the same type of
basal skull fracture that killed three NASCAR drivers last year."
Doctors disclosed that Yee suffered a
basal skull fracture as a result of the severe head trauma.
Basal skull fractures account for 21% of all skull fractures.