If you have been charged with corporal injury on a spouse or a child, you are likely wondering what exactly that entails. What does “corporal injury” mean? Keep reading to get the answer and to learn what your defense options are. Then contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 to request a free legal consultation.

The Definition of Corporal Injury

Legally speaking, corporal injury refers to a physical injury that is caused by a traumatic condition. It is often part of a violent crime such as domestic violence. When a corporal injury is inflicted, the charge becomes more serious than a simple domestic battery charge.

Note that corporal injury is such an imprecise term that most states have changed their laws to remove it from use. California is one of the few states that still use it.

The Amount of Force is Irrelevant

It is common for a person accused of corporal injury to say that they did not hit the person hard at all. This law requires only that a physical wound was inflicted on another person by force. It does not matter how much force was used, if it was inflected via firearm, or if it caused minor or serious injury – if any injury occurred on the victim’s body, then corporal injury might be claimed.

Examples of Corporal Injury

To better understand corporal injury, consider some examples and how different they are in terms of damage. Broken bones, bullet wounds, bruises, concussions, cuts, lacerations, internal bleeding, or a sprained muscle or ligament can all be considered corporal injury. This is despite the fact that internal bleeding and a slight bruise are very different in terms of severity.

Common Misconceptions About Corporal Injury

Hopefully, a few examples helped you better understand what corporal injury is, but let us also consider what it is not. Posttraumatic stress from the violence is not corporal injury, nor is emotional distress because it is not a physical injury. Property damage does not qualify because it is not damage to a person. Physical contact that left no mark and did not cause a physical injury is also not corporal injury.

Defense Options to Charges of Corporal Injury

The right defense for any particular case will depend on the specific issues involved, but there are several options that can be considered. Common examples include showing that you were acting in self-defense or were defending someone else, that the victim has you mistaken for someone else, or that the victim is making up their claims.

No matter the specifics of your case, the best way to move forward is to contact a criminal defense attorney who can help you achieve the best possible defense. Contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 now for a free legal consultation.