When you suffer an injury, you generally aren’t thinking about the legal nitty-gritty over what type of injury or the type of lawyer you may need to contact. However, knowing the differences between bodily and personal injuries may be fundamental to your case and ensure you get the best possible outcome in the long run.
Bodily Injuries
A bodily injury refers specifically to the harm you received at the time of the accident. For example, if you stumble down the stairs and break your leg, that broken leg is a bodily injury. When seeking compensation for physical damage, attorneys will typically go after a liable individual rather than a broader party.
Typical settlements for bodily injuries cover expenses such as hospital bills, transportation fees, and potential recuperation for any income lost due to the injury.
Personal Injuries
While there can be some overlap between the two, bodily injury focuses on the direct damage, and personal injuries typically refer more to the overarching effects of the injury. Going back to the broken leg example, if someone suffers limited usage of that leg even after the bones finish healing, this is an example of a personal injury.
Personal injuries are typically harder to prove because a fundamental component is providing evidence that the negligence of the company or party in question caused the accident.
Filing a Claim
Now that you know the differences between bodily and personal injuries, it’s a good idea to know how to file a claim. Gain access to a personal injury attorney and start the proper steps for filing a personal injury claim. Injured parties have a limited window of time to put forward their case, so it’s best to start the process as soon as possible. Getting everything in order allows your attorney to gather important documents and information related to the accident before the liable party sweeps them under the rug.