Home•Personal Injury•What is the Difference Between Bodily Injury and Personal Injury in Texas?

What is the Difference Between Bodily Injury and Personal Injury in Texas?

Many people make the mistake of conflating the terms bodily injury and personal injury in the event that they are hurt in an accident or incident. Yes, both concern injuries to a victim and are used when discussing the type(s) of coverage and compensation to which they might be entitled. But the terms are not interchangeable.

What is a bodily injury?

Bodily injury is a term used most often in reference to one or more specific physical injuries a victim suffers, usually at the hands of another person or party. Bodily injuries may occur as a result of violence and frequently indicate a criminal aspect to a case. Consider the following examples of bodily injuries and the circumstances under which they occur:

  • Injuries resulting from assault or battery
  • Injuries caused by weapons
  • Injuries sustained in an accident caused by a drunk driver
  • Injuries that occur in the course of other crimes or acts of violence

What is a personal injury?

Personal injury is a term that typically carries meaning in civil cases. It refers to any injury—physical, emotional, or even financial—that occurs as a result of negligence, recklessness, or harmful action or lack of action. Personal injuries occur in unintentional accidents and other situations rather than intentionally violent or egregiously negligent circumstances. For instance, the most common types of personal injuries result from the following situations:

  • Motor vehicle accidents – Traffic collisions that result from driving mistakes or distraction rather than from intentionally malicious actions
  • Medical malpractice – Errors in judgment or action by medical professionals
  • Defective products – Products that cause harm to consumers because of flaws in their design, manufacturing, or directions for use
  • Dangerous premises – Hazards in public spaces due to poor maintenance or lack of adequate signage

Compensation for your injuries

If you are hurt in an accident, incident, or other circumstance, you may be entitled to one or more types of compensation. For instance, if your injury occurred in a crash caused by a drunk driver, you’ll have a claim in civil court, but may also have standing in a criminal case. Only a skilled personal injury attorney can determine the full extent of the damages to which you are entitled and help you collect them.

Contact an experienced Texas trial lawyer for help with bodily injuries and personal injuries

To learn more about differentiating between personal injury and bodily injury and your claim to compensation in League City or elsewhere in Texas, consult Burwell Nebout Trial Lawyers today. Contact us online to schedule a free consultation or call (281) 645-5000 and speak to an attorney right away.

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“I am a survivor of the March 23, 2005, BP explosion. Knowing my life had just been changed in an instant and not knowing what was to come was extremely unsettling. So when the time came to find legal representation, I chose Burwell Nebout personal injury attorneys from League City, Texas. Knowing they are from the Galveston County area made this an easy choice. Russ and Jimmy assured me they would do all things possible to help me and my family get through this most difficult time. Once again, I’d like to thank these men and their staff for their professional knowledge and guidance throughout those tough times. I know without a doubt I made the right choice.”

David Laymance
Santa Fe, Texas

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“My company has faced disputes that require the litigation process to achieve resolution. I chose Russ and Jimmy to represent me not only for their ability to guide us through the process in a cost-efficient manner with the goal of resolution, but also with the comfort of knowing they have the skills and expertise to try the case.”

Will Watt
Friendswood, Texas

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“Thank you for the excellent work performed by you and your staff in helping our company each step of the way in our pursuit of seeking reimbursement from BP due to our losses from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The presentation of the facts as well as the unknowns with each turn of the roller coaster has been greatly appreciated. I cannot thank you enough for the work you put into this nor credit you enough for the polish and professionalism in the way you did it.”

Doug Vingoe
Houston, Texas

Case Results

Automobile Accident

$19.2 million

Two clients killed as a result of a special defect in the shoulder of the roadway. A state court jury trial resulted in a $19.2 million verdict.

Premises Liability

$10 million

Children that attended school on a former toxic dump site made claims for exposure injuries. $10 million settlement.

Liberty County Record Verdict

Record-setting verdict

Two high school seniors were on their way home on a stretch of road that had been the subject of repeated complaints to the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) about the poor condition of the shoulder. When the students entered a curve, the poor condition of the shoulder resulted in a crash that killed one and severely brain-damaged the other. A trial against the Texas Attorney General’s office resulted in the discovery of altered records, a spoliation instruction, and a record-setting jury verdict for Liberty County.

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