Legal Definitions - great bodily injury

Great bodily injury refers to a significant physical injury that is more severe than a minor wound or superficial harm. It typically involves substantial impairment of physical condition, disfigurement, or prolonged loss of a body part or organ function. This legal term is often used in criminal law to distinguish injuries that warrant a higher degree of legal consequence due to their severity and lasting impact.

Here are some examples illustrating what constitutes great bodily injury:

• Example 1: During an altercation, one individual strikes another with a heavy object, resulting in a fractured skull and a concussion that requires emergency surgery and an extended hospital stay. The victim experiences ongoing headaches and memory issues for several months.

  Explanation: The fractured skull, concussion, need for surgery, and prolonged recovery with lasting symptoms clearly demonstrate a substantial impairment of physical condition and a significant, non-minor injury, fitting the definition of great bodily injury.

• Example 2: A driver, under the influence, negligently causes a collision where a passenger in the other vehicle sustains a severed spinal cord, leading to permanent paralysis from the waist down.

  Explanation: Permanent paralysis represents an extreme and lasting loss of a major bodily function and a profound impairment of physical condition, which unequivocally qualifies as great bodily injury.

• Example 3: In a home invasion, a burglar attacks a resident, causing deep lacerations to their face that require numerous stitches and leave permanent, visible scarring, significantly altering their appearance.

  Explanation: The severe facial lacerations resulting in permanent disfigurement meet the criteria for great bodily injury, as they involve a significant and lasting alteration to the victim's physical form.