Injury
Injury: Harm to a person, property, reputation or legal right. To have standing to sue in federal court, a plaintiff must show an "injury in fact" — an invasion of a legally protected interest that is concrete and particularized and actual or imminent — that is fairly traceable to the defendant's conduct and likely to be redressed by a favorable decision (Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560–61 (1992)).
What injury means
Put simply, injury is part of the working vocabulary of a civil case. The short definition above covers the usual meaning. Still, a specific rule, statute or contract can give it a narrower meaning. For that reason, check how it is used in your own documents.
Where injury comes up
The term is used across many kinds of cases. For example, you may see it in pleadings, motions and court orders. To see it in context, browse the motions and procedures library or the Learn the Law topics.
How to research the term
First, read the term where it actually appears. A rule, statute or court decision may define it for its own purposes. Next, check whether your court has a local rule that uses injury in a special way. Then look at recent decisions from courts in your jurisdiction. They show how judges apply the term today. Also, remember that state law can differ from federal law. For that reason, use our state procedures guide to find your state’s rules. Finally, confirm every source is current before you rely on it.
You can read the current federal court rules online for free.
Related legal terms
- Inheritance: property received from a person who has died, whether by will, by trust or under intestacy law. Federal law does not tax an heir's receipt of an inheritance as income (26 U.S.C. § 102(a)), although a large estate may owe federal estate tax and a few states impose an inheritance tax on recipients.
- Initial disclosures: basic information each party must provide early in a federal case without waiting for a discovery request.
- Injunction: a court order requiring a party to do or stop doing something.
- Injured party: the person who suffered harm, loss or the violation of a right and who may seek a remedy. In contract law, the injured party is the one entitled to remedies for the other party's breach. In a lawsuit, the injured party is usually the plaintiff or claimant.
Why precise terms matter
Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.
Sources
Sources last reviewed: 2026-10-24
Lawtopolis provides legal information and education, not legal advice. Using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and court rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time; verify every authority against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction about your situation.