Legal Definitions - direct injury

A direct injury refers to harm or damage that immediately and proximately results from an action or event, without any significant intervening causes. It is the immediate and straightforward consequence of a wrongful act or omission, where the harm flows directly from the cause.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Physical Harm

  Imagine a scenario where a driver, distracted by their phone, runs a red light and collides with another vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle suffers a broken arm and whiplash from the impact.

  Explanation: The broken arm and whiplash are direct injuries because they are the immediate physical consequences of the collision. There were no significant steps or events between the distracted driver's action (running the red light and colliding) and the other driver's physical harm.

• Example 2: Property Damage

  Consider a situation where a construction crew accidentally drops a large beam from a crane, and it falls directly onto the roof of a house below, causing the roof to collapse.

  Explanation: The collapsed roof is a direct injury to the property. The damage to the house is an immediate and direct result of the beam striking it. The harm to the roof is a straightforward consequence of the falling object.

• Example 3: Financial Loss

  Suppose a bank employee intentionally transfers funds from a customer's account directly into their personal account without authorization.

  Explanation: The customer's immediate loss of the transferred money is a direct injury. The financial harm is an immediate and direct consequence of the employee's unauthorized transfer, with the funds being directly removed from the customer's possession.