Accident vs. Injury — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 2, 2023
An accident is an unplanned event; an injury is harm resulting from it.
Difference Between Accident and Injury
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Accident: Unintended event causing potential harm. Injury: Resultant harm or damage to the body.
Accident: Often external circumstances. Injury: Affects the body or mind.
Accident: Can happen without injury. Injury: Implies harm, often from an accident.
Accident: Can involve property, not just people. Injury: Specifically refers to bodily or mental harm.
Accident: Can be minor or major. Injury: Severity can vary widely.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Unintended event or mishap.
Physical or mental harm.
Cause
Often due to external factors.
Result of accident or deliberate act.
Involvement
Can occur without causing harm.
Implies harm or damage.
Scope
Can involve objects, property, or individuals.
Specifically pertains to organisms.
Implication
Not all accidents result in injuries.
Injuries imply harm from an event.
Compare with Definitions
Accident
Unforeseen and unplanned event.
The spill was an unfortunate accident.
Injury
Physical harm to the body.
She sustained an injury during the game.
Accident
Mishap without deliberate intent.
Breaking the vase was an accident.
Injury
Result of an accident or violence.
The injury was due to a fall.
Accident
Incident causing potential harm.
She avoided a serious accident by braking.
Injury
Impairment or damage to health.
The injury required immediate medical attention.
Accident
An instance of involuntary urination or defecation.
Injury
Can be physical or psychological.
She suffered a psychological injury from the trauma.
Accident
Can lead to property damage.
The car accident damaged the fence.
Injury
(Law) Violation of the rights of another party for which legal redress is available.
Accident
Can be minor or severe.
He had a minor skiing accident.
Injury
Can be external or internal.
He had an internal injury from the crash.
Accident
An accident is an unintended, normally unwanted event that was not directly caused by humans. The term accident implies that nobody should be blamed, but the event may have been caused by unrecognized or unaddressed risks.
Injury
Injury, also known as physical trauma, is damage to the body caused by external force. This may be caused by accidents, falls, hits, weapons, and other causes.
Accident
An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury
If you are unable to work owing to accident or sickness
He had an accident at the factory
Injury
An instance of being injured
She suffered an injury to her back
Accident
An event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause
The pregnancy was an accident
It is no accident that Manchester has produced more than its fair share of professional comics
Injury
Damage to a person's feelings
Compensation for injury to feelings
Accident
(in Aristotelian thought) a property of a thing which is not essential to its nature.
Injury
Damage or harm done to or suffered by a person or thing
Escaped from the accident without injury.
A scandal that did considerable injury to the campaign.
Accident
An unexpected and undesirable event, especially one resulting in damage or harm
An accident on the assembly line.
Car accidents on icy roads.
Injury
A particular form of hurt, damage, or loss
A leg injury.
Accident
An unforeseen event that is not the result of intention or has no apparent cause
A series of happy accidents led to his promotion.
Injury
(Obsolete) An insult.
Accident
Lack of intention; chance
Ran into an old friend by accident.
Injury
Damage to the body of a living thing.
The passenger sustained a severe injury in the car accident.
Accident
(Philosophy) An attribute of a substance that is not essential to its nature.
Injury
Other forms of damage sustained by a living thing, e.g. psychologically.
Accident
An unexpected event with negative consequences occurring without the intention of the one suffering the consequences, and (in the strict sense) not directly caused by humans.
To die by an accident such as an act of God
Act of God
Injury
The violation of a person's reputation, rights, property, or interests.
Slander is an injury to the character.
Accident
(legal) casus; such unforeseen, extraordinary, extraneous interference as is out of the range of ordinary calculation.
Injury
(archaic) Injustice.
Accident
Any chance event.
Injury
(obsolete) To wrong, to injure.
Accident
(uncountable) Chance; random chance.
Injury
Any damage or hurt done to a person or thing; detriment to, or violation of, the person, character, feelings, rights, property, or interests of an individual; that which injures, or occasions wrong, loss, damage, or detriment; harm; hurt; loss; mischief; wrong; evil; as, his health was impaired by a severe injury; slander is an injury to the character.
For he that doeth injury shall receive that that he did evil.
Many times we do injury to a cause by dwelling on trifling arguments.
Riot ascends above their loftiest towers,And injury and outrage.
Accident
Any property, fact, or relation that is the result of chance or is nonessential or nonsubstantive.
Beauty is an accident.
Lexical gaps are called accidental because their existence is by accident; it is not essential.
Injury
Any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
Accident
(grammar) A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, such as gender, number, or case.
Injury
An accident that results in physical damage or hurt
Accident
(euphemistic) An instance of incontinence.
Injury
A casualty to military personnel resulting from combat
Accident
Urine or feces excreted due to incontinence.
Injury
An act that injures someone
Accident
(euphemistic) An unintended pregnancy.
Accident
A person born from an unintended pregnancy.
Taylor was our sweet little accident, and we're so glad!
Well I may be annoying but at least I'm not an accident like you are
Accident
(geology) An irregular surface feature with no apparent cause.
Accident
(geology) A sudden discontinuity of ground such as fault of great thickness, bed or lentil of unstable ground.{{cite book|
Accident
(heraldry) A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.
Accident
(transportation) Designating any form of transportation involved in an accident.
The NTSB report revealed that the accident airplane was a Cessna 172.
Accident
Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident.
Of moving accidents by flood and field.
Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident:It is the very place God meant for thee.
Accident
A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, as gender, number, case.
Accident
A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.
Accident
A property or quality of a thing which is not essential to it, as whiteness in paper; an attribute.
Accident
Any accidental property, fact, or relation; an accidental or nonessential; as, beauty is an accident.
This accident, as I call it, of Athens being situated some miles from the sea.
Accident
Unusual appearance or effect.
Accident
Anything that happens by chance without an apparent cause
Common Curiosities
Can accidents be prevented?
Some can, through safety measures.
Is every injury from an accident?
No, some are from deliberate acts.
Can accidents be harmless?
Yes, not all accidents cause injury.
Can accidents be minor?
Yes, ranging from minor to severe.
Are all injuries visible?
No, some are internal or psychological.
What’s a common cause of accidents?
Human error or environmental factors.
Do injuries always need medical attention?
Not always, but severe ones do.
Can injuries be emotional?
Yes, psychological injuries are real.
What is an accident?
An unplanned, unforeseen event.
What defines an injury?
Harm or damage to body or mind.
Can accidents involve objects?
Yes, accidents can damage property.
Do injuries always heal?
Most do, but some have lasting effects.
Is it possible to have multiple injuries from one accident?
Yes, especially in severe accidents.
Can an accident not harm anyone?
Yes, like a near miss.
Are injuries always immediate?
Some injuries manifest later.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
