Bodily injury generally refers to a type of liability insurance coverage that can protect you if you injure another person in an accident, while personal injury refers to a type of civil action against the party responsible for your damages. Both personal injury protection (PIP) and bodily injury (BI) pay for medical bills and expenses resulting from an accident, but they vary depending on where you live, who is at fault, and what bills need to be covered. Bodily injury comes into play if you are at fault for an accident and pay the bills of other people involved in the accident. Personal injury protection is available in no-fault insurance states and covers your expenses no matter who is at fault in the accident.
The difference between bodily injury and personal injury isn't too confusing. A bodily injury simply refers to an injury to the body. Personal injury refers to a legal claim for harm to a person that was caused by another person's negligence or other misconduct. A bodily injury can support a personal injury claim, but so can reputational damage caused by defamation, for example.
Certain states have no-fault laws regarding personal injury protection, which means that the injured person must first seek compensation from their insurance policy after an accident. You can win a bodily injury settlement, but not a full personal injury settlement, in a workers' compensation claim, for example. If you live in Florida, you have four years from the date of your accident to get a personal injury lawyer and file a lawsuit. If you've suffered an injury in Louisiana, you may be able to receive compensation for your damages from insurance or from a personal injury lawsuit.
According to the Legal Information Institute (LII), any injury to the body, mind, or emotional well-being qualifies as a personal injury. Determining how much to ask for in a personal injury settlement depends on the facts of your case and your realistic costs. It is required in states with no-fault laws, where drivers must file minor injury claims with their own PIP insurance rather than with the at-fault driver's bodily injury liability coverage. If you or a loved one has suffered any type of personal injury due to the negligence of a third party, you may be entitled to compensation.
The difference between bodily injury and personal injury is where you can encounter each in a legal context. Compensation for bodily injury is only part of the compensation available for a successful personal injury lawsuit. Before giving your statement, a personal injury lawyer in Alexandria can provide you with a number of deposition tips. People have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance policies to cover personal expenses for drivers and passengers, including medical bills, but also lost wages and other expenses.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, nearly 180,000 people die each year from unintentional injuries and injuries related to violence injuries. Telling a credible story is a top priority if your goal is to increase your personal injury pay. Bodily injury refers to a physical injury, illness, or illness resulting from an accident, while the Legal Information Institute defines personal injury more broadly as injury to “body, mind, or emotions.”.