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New York legal term

Serious physical injury in New York Criminal Law

Current through 2026 New York legislative session

In New York criminal law, “Serious physical injury” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the New York criminal code.

What does “Serious physical injury” mean in New York criminal law?

"Serious physical injury" means physical injury which creates a substantial risk of death, or which causes death or serious and protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of health or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ. 11. (N.Y. Penal Law § 10.00)

Statutes defining or using this term

Charges using this term

Related terms in the same statutes

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.