What Is the Difference Between Bodily Injury and Personal Injury?

Bodily injury generally refers to physical harm to a person, while personal injury is usually a broader legal term describing claims arising from injury caused by negligence or wrongdoing. In an auto insurance policy, bodily injury liability coverage typically applies when an insured driver is legally responsible for another person’s physical injuries. A personal injury lawsuit, however, may seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, disability, and other losses resulting from those bodily injuries. Insurance terminology can create confusion because some commercial policies use “personal injury” to describe specific non-physical harms, including defamation, false arrest, or invasion of privacy. For that reason, the wording of the applicable policy matters. If an insurance dispute arises, the declarations page and policy definitions should be reviewed together. The label used for a claim does not by itself determine whether coverage exists or what compensation may be available.