As we get older, we worry a lot about the different types of injuries we may suffer from and how they might impact our lives. Sometimes, the statistics are startling.
For example, the number of fall-related brain injuries has increased 17% in the past decade. What do we do with this influx of injuries? If they can’t be prevented, how can we seek treatment and avoid major life disruptions as a result?
It helps to understand different terms related to injuries, particularly in a legal context. People often assume that the difference between personal injury vs. bodily injury is insignificant when in reality, the difference matters.
Read on to learn more about personal vs. bodily injuries and why the difference matters.
What Is Personal Injury?
Personal injury is more of a legal term than a medical term. A personal injury is sustained when someone else’s negligent behavior or failure to provide reasonable care causes an accident that causes an injury. If you were injured as the result of someone else’s negligence, you can file a personal injury claim.
Let’s look at an example. Let’s say that you were riding your motorcycle and a driver was texting rather than looking at where they were going. If they then hit you, ran you off the road, or otherwise caused an accident that left you injured, you could file a personal injury claim.
To get the best results in this scenario, you would want to hire a motorcycle accident attorney. The goal is to receive compensation from the at-fault individual to avoid any financial burdens related to your injury. For example, you might receive coverage for your medical bills and any lost income resulting from your injury.
What Is Bodily Injury?
Is a bodily injury different than a personal injury? The answer is that the term bodily injury is useful to refer to any injury and doesn’t paint a specific legal picture.
Let’s go back to the example we shared earlier regarding the increase in fall-related brain injuries. If someone fell in the shower they used every day, they might sustain a bodily injury. Any bruises, cuts, broken bones, or brain injuries would all fall under this category.
However, because the fall wasn’t the result of someone else’s negligence, it wouldn’t fall under the category of personal injury. The motorcycle driver, on the other hand, has sustained bodily injuries that also constitute a personal injury due to the nature of the accident.
Personal Injury vs. Bodily Injury: Know When to Take Legal Action
If you’ve sustained an injury, you may wonder what to do next. Don’t treat personal injury vs. bodily injury as interchangeable, or you may misunderstand your rights. If you’re suffering from a personal injury, make sure to contact the appropriate law firm to seek legal recourse.
Language is a complex thing and sometimes, it takes a geek to parse out the difference between two words. In fact, it takes a geek to understand a lot of interesting things! Take a look around as we continue to spread our knowledge about a wide variety of subjects.