While used interchangeably, bodily injury and personal injury refer to two separate issues. In this article, we will clearly define each term and provide examples so you can better use and understand the different terms.
What Is Bodily Injury?
Bodily injury is a term that most often refers to:
- criminal cases where one person has harmed another and inflicted bodily injury to another person,
- a type of liability insurance coverage that protects the policyholder if they injure another person in an accident.
In a criminal context, bodily injury can impact a case as more serious bodily injury can affect the type of charges a person receives. With liability insurance, bodily injury insurance is usually included in a person’s auto or business insurance plan. Thus, if a person suffers a bodily injury in a car accident or premises liability accident you caused, your insurer will cover the damages.
Here is an example where bodily injury coverage is applicable: If you own a business and a person slips and falls in your store, your bodily injury coverage can cover their damages. Rather than litigate, your insurer can settle the claim. However, it is important to note that the injured party may still decide to pursue civil action if they do not feel the settlement offer is fair.
What Is Personal Injury?
While bodily injury refers to a type of coverage, personal injury refers to a type of civil lawsuit action. Personal injury cases refer to civil actions taken against parties responsible for the claimant’s (filing party’s) injuries and damages.
These cases can be pursued if a person’s injuries and damages are the direct cause of a party’s negligent actions or failure to address negligent conditions they know (or should have known) about. Different types of personal injury matters are:
- Premises liability claims (i.e. slip and fall accidents, negligent security claims, and other accidents that occur while a person is legally on another person’s property)
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Animal attacks or dog bites
- Pedestrian accidents
- Product liability matters
- Medical malpractice claims
- Catastrophic injury claims
- Bicycle accidents
If a person suffers injuries in a negligence-based accident, they can pursue a personal injury claim to receive compensation for the economic and non-economic damages, such as:
- Lost wages
- Past and future medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced earning capacity
- Emotional distress
Contact Our Personal Injury Attorneys
Backed by decades of legal experience, McHargue & Jones, LLC is here and equipped to help you pursue civil action if you are injured in a negligence-related. We handle a wide-variety of personal injury matters, including premises liability, animal attacks, car accidents, truck accidents, and workers’ compensation claims. Our firm has helped thousands of clients receive fair compensation for their damages, and you can trust our team to handle the case legalities.
You don’t have to fight for fair compensation alone. Contact our firm online or via phone (312) 739-0000 to schedule a free initial consultation.
