Personal injury and bodily injury seem like similar terms. Some people use them interchangeably to mean the same thing. However, there’s a difference between the two terms.
They all refer to damages caused to an individual, but bodily injury refers to physical harm, while personal injury goes beyond physical injuries.
Personal injury may include extends such as pain and suffering. Personal injury also involves another party’s negligence. If you experience any of the two types of damages, you can contact law firms like Florin Roebig to help you follow up on your case.
Personal Injury Vs. Bodily Injury Insurance
Personal injury claims involve injuries that mainly occur because of negligence. A victim of an injury can sue the person or entity that caused them for damages for their injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Bodily injury insurance is liability insurance that you can include in your vehicle insurance. The insurance can compensate the third parties for damages caused by you in an auto crash.
Some states require a minimum of $25,000 in insurance payouts for bodily and personal injuries inflicted by liable drivers. In contrast, other no-fault car insurance states only require taxis to have this insurance coverage.
The amount of applicable coverage that the defendant may have under a bodily injury policy is not a restriction on the damages the court can award a personal injury lawsuit.
Forms of Bodily Injury
Bodily injury is any physical injury caused to a victim’s body. It may include the following:
- Bruises
- Cuts
- Broken bones
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burns
- Internal bleeding
- Or any other extreme injuries
Forms of Personal Injury
The compensation amount recoverable in a personal injury claim highly depends on the case’s particulars. However, the court may order compensation to personal injury victims for the following circumstances:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental distress
- Rehabilitation costs
- Medical bills incurred by the victim as cause of the accident
- Reduced ability to earn income
Legal Aspects of Bodily Injury
A bodily injury claim is commonly associated with premises liability insurance claims or auto insurance. For example, it could indicate that victims can seek medical coverage from a property owner after being injured on the property due to dangerous conditions.
In addition, the bodily injury liability insurance covers the harm of other drivers, passengers, or pedestrians if the insured is at fault for unsafe driving. The insurer will compensate for the specific injury subject to the insurance claim, and it is not the same as property damage liability coverage.
Legal Aspects of Personal Injury
Each state has a time frame in which victims of accidents may claim personal injury. Another legal issue in some states in personal injury cases is the liability issue. In some cases, a jury may decide that the complainant was partially or entirely to blame for the auto crash. Several courts use A special rule known as modified ‘comparative negligence.’
According to comparative negligence, an injured person’s right to compensation is reduced by their share of the blame for an accident. Another critical aspect of the rule is that if the injured person is more than 50% to blame for the accident, they will no longer recover damages in the suit.