What criteria defines Serious Physical Harm?

The definition of Serious Physical Harm is characterized by significant injuries that have severe implications for an individual’s health and wellbeing. Specifically, criteria that include substantial risk of death and permanent incapacity highlight the severity of the harm considered. This definition encompasses situations where injuries are not just temporary or minor but pose a serious threat to life or result in lasting physical disabilities.

Other options, while reflecting various forms of harm, do not reach the threshold of seriousness defined in legal terms. Minor injuries that do not require hospitalization do not represent serious physical harm, as they lack significant impact on the individual’s health. Similarly, temporary discomfort and physical pain, while they might cause distress, are not classified as serious since they typically do not lead to long-term issues. Lesser forms of mental incapacity do not relate directly to physical harm, which is a crucial part of the criteria for assessing serious physical harm. Therefore, the most accurate definition in this context is one that indicates a severe and lasting impact on a person's physical condition, which is appropriately represented by the criterion of substantial risk of death and permanent incapacity.