Paul Fisher Insurance Services LLC

Definition of “bodily injury”

A quick check on the Internet leads to many sites that provide definitions about injuries. However, the only definition that counts after you’ve been in an auto accident is the one listed in your auto insurance policy.

Check your auto insurance policy

Here are a couple of examples of General Definitions taken directly from auto insurance policies:

* Bodily injury means bodily injury to a person, including resultant sickness, disease or death.

* Bodily injury means any bodily injury, sickness, disease or death sustained by any person.

Bodily injury refers to injuries sustained

There you have it. Bodily injury is damage to your body that may show up now or later as injuries, illnesses, diseases, or even death. Bodily injuries are specific to something that happens to you that results in damage. Those injuries can be to the body, mind, or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property.

The most common forms of bodily injury are injuries to the neck and back (commonly called whiplash) or simply bumps and bruises.

Insurance companies may refer to underlying injuries as soft tissue damage. More significant injuries affect the limbs, brain and head, or spinal cord, and can cause a lifetime of damages. Here you will require Vancouver WA Personal Injury Lawyer to fight for justice by providing enough proof.

Reaction at the scene of an accident

At the scene of an accident, the adrenaline kicks in. Your body’s natural reaction is “fight or flight”, and most people are just scared and shook up, not always aware of what could be serious injuries.

So when you suffer bodily injury, protect your rights by the words you use. Instead of saying, “I’m fine,” just say something like, “I’m not sure… it’s all so sudden.” After all, how can you really tell in the rush of that moment?

Damages may not be visible

The thing that most people may not realize until later is that physical damage may not be readily apparent. Even broken bones might not be noticeable. In cases of whiplash, there may be no bruises or scraping, but the ligaments, connective tissues, and muscles may have been stretched and snapped to the point of damage that is not immediately evident. Such injuries may not be identified without an x-ray, MRI, CAT scan, or other diagnostic tools.

So what is personal injury?

The term “personal injury” is often used by victims to find an attorney who specializes in such cases, as our office does. Think of personal injury as an “umbrella” term that covers not only your bodily injuries, but other damages as well.

Educate yourself about your rights in an auto accident

Everyone deserves to find out if they have a claim. It’s better to learn about your rights sooner than later, though. For example, even in a simple conversation with an insurance company, you may say things that later might make it difficult to reach a favorable settlement. That is true whether you are talking with your own insurance company of the one that represents the other driver.

It’s better to consult with our offices immediately after the accident, to protect your rights and make sure you see medical providers who truly care about your injuries and are careful to document their findings.

My next blog will discuss some of the damages other than bodily injury that can affect your claim.

via Definition of Bodily Injury – Law – Personal Injury.