Bodily injury refers to specific kinds of harm done to the body after an incident, such as:
- Cuts, abrasions, bruises, burns or disfigurement
- Physical pain
- Illness
- Impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ or mental facility
- Any other injury to the body, no matter how temporary
When someone carries bodily injury insurance, it covers the costs of the other person involved in the accident. An example would be, if you run a red light and strike a bicyclist, you may be held at fault for their injuries. Depending on your policy, bodily injury insurance may include all or some of the damages sustained as a result of the accident. Missouri law sets a minimum level of coverage at $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and Illinois law has the same standards.
Serious bodily injury is bodily injury which involves:
- A substantial risk of injury
- Extreme physical pain
- Protracted and obvious disfigurement
- Protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ or mental faculty
Bodily and serious bodily injury are both found in 18 U.S. Code § 1365(h)(4).