Is a Car Accident Considered a Personal Injury or Bodily Injury? [Answered]

Updated on October 8, 2020
Car crash accident on street

It turns out that about 20 percent of insured drivers only have the minimum when it comes to liability insurance. Thirteen percent of drivers don’t have car insurance at all. Your insurance coverage may extend to covering the costs of underinsured motorists. 

Car accidents are confusing enough without the added stress of figuring out who is paying for what for the injuries sustained by either party. Determining who is responsible for the accident and what type of insurance will pay for any injuries.

Continue reading to learn the differences between personal injury and bodily injury.

Bodily Injury Coverage

Bodily injury insurance protects the responsible party from lawsuits that may get filed against them after causing a car accident where the other party is injured. This type of car insurance is often required in most states.

Many states require a minimum of $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury coverage. Bodily injury insurance pays for the other party’s:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Legal fees
  • Funeral costs
  • Pain and suffering

Say you cause an accident involving more than one car and the other party is injured. Your bodily injury insurance will pay for the other party’s injuries, hospital bills, and wages lost due to the accident.

If you’re injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else, their insurance would pay for any bodily injuries they may have caused you.

Personal Injury Coverage

Personal injury protection insurance (PIP) can cover up to $10,000 worth of medical expenses and lost wages.

This is the type of insurance that all drivers are likely to have. Standard auto policies include this protection that is then paid out to the policyholder in the event of a car accident that causes injuries.

Personal injury refers to injuries that occur during a car accident where the driver is at fault. Say you were in a car accident where you hit a telephone pole or went into a ditch and got hurt, your personal injury insurance would cover your emergency services and doctor’s visits.

Coverage for personal injury can include any of the following for a driver:

  • Funeral costs
  • Lost wages
  • Physical therapy
  • Substitute service (if you can’t perform childcare or household chores because of the accident)
  • Medical Expenses 

Visit 4statelaw.com to see how Johnson, Vorhees, & Martucci Attorneys at Law can assist with your personal injury via a car accident case.

Are You Covered?

Whether you’re injured in an accident when you are driving or you injure other people in a car accident, you don’t need to be worried about what you will pay out of pocket as long as you have the right coverage for personal injury. 

Check with your car insurance provider to make sure you have the right coverage to make sure you are protected. This will help you to feel more secure while behind the wheel. You never know when you may get into a car accident.

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The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.