There are different types of injury that could occur to a person, and understanding the varying terminology can be very important if you get injured. People often use terms like “bodily injury” and “personal injury” as interchangeable terms, but there are times they might not be.
These two terms specifically have defined meanings in most cases. At times, they can overlap but they often mean different things. In fact, they might even mean different things in a criminal court setting as opposed to a civil case setting.
If you’ve suffered an injury at the negligence or misactions of another person, you may be eligible for compensation. Reach out to a Modesto personal injury attorney to help you understand your options.
Read more below to better understand the differences in bodily injury and personal injury.
Bodily Injury Explained
Bodily injury can sometimes have two different definitions. One of the reasons it can be so confusing is that it means something different in criminal law as opposed to civil law. When referring to criminal law, a bodily injury from the associated crime tends to lead to harsher punishments for the suspect.
This is common in something like an assault and battery case, where the assailant not only makes threats but physically assaults the victim, causing them physical harm.
In contrast, when bodily injury is referred to in a civil case, it is more likely to be used as part of the term for bodily injury insurance. These are common policies in workplaces and vehicle insurance coverage. The policy is designed to help pay the victim in the case of a bodily or personal injury from an accident. Many times, the injury occurs due to the negligence of another party.
In California, your vehicle insurance policy is required to include a minimum amount of bodily injury coverage. This is on your insurance to cover another person if they are injured and you are at fault. This also means if you are injured and another driver is at fault, they too should have this insurance coverage per the law.
Personal Injury Explained
Personal injury really means the same thing across the board, and is a term that might be interchangeable on the civil case level with bodily injury, as we just described above. The term is primarily used in civil cases. Personal injury refers to an injury that is sustained because of someone else’s actions, or lack of actions in some cases.
Car accidents and work injuries can both fall under personal injury claims. A common example might be a drunk driver who hits you and causes you physical injuries that require treatment.
A personal injury case provides you with compensation for a variety of things related to the injury. This includes medical expenses, loss of wages, anticipated future medical expenses, anticipated future loss of wages, pain and suffering, PTSD, loss of enjoyment of life, and more. These cases can cover both economic and non-economic damages in California.
Fight for Yourself in a Personal Injury Case
Regardless of the reason, if you are injured at the cause of another party, you could be eligible for compensation. In fact, a personal injury claim can be filed even when the suspect is going through criminal court for the associated crimes.
If you have experienced bodily injury or personal injury at the actions of another person, you have options. Use an experienced Modesto personal injury lawyer to help you better understand your options and walk you through the process of seeking compensation for your injuries.