After a crash, it’s not always clear how serious your injuries are or what they mean for an insurance claim. Many people wonder what is considered bodily injury in a car accident and whether their injuries qualify for compensation. Even pain or symptoms that seem minor at first can point to a larger issue. Understanding how bodily injury is defined can help you protect your health, your rights and your ability to recover damages after an accident.
What Is Bodily Injury in a Car Accident?
If you’re hurt in a car accident, bodily injury refers to any physical harm done to your body
after a car accident. This can include things like cuts, bruises, broken bones or worse.
In car accident cases, people often talk about bodily injury in the context of insurance. For example, drivers carry bodily injury liability coverage on their auto insurance to pay for injuries they cause to others.
In Arizona, the law requires every driver to have bodily injury liability insurance of at least $25,000 per injured person and $50,000 per accident. This means if you cause an accident, your insurance helps cover the medical bills and injury costs of the people you hurt. Your own
health insurance may also help cover medical treatment after an accident, depending on your policy.
What Are Common Examples of Bodily Injury?
Common bodily injuries from car accidents range from minor to severe. Here are a few examples of what’s considered bodily injury in a car accident:
- Cuts, scrapes and bruises: Flying glass or hitting parts of the car can lead to lacerations and bruising on your body.
- Broken bones or sprains: Impact from a collision can fracture bones or cause painful sprains and strains.
- Whiplash or back injuries:
The sudden jolt of a crash often causes neck injuries like whiplash or other back and spine injuries.
- Head injuries or burns: More serious accidents might result in a concussion, other head trauma or even burns.
Even injuries that seem minor at first can turn out to be more serious over time, which is why getting medical care after an accident is important.
What Is the Difference Between Bodily Injury and Personal Injury?
