When an individual seeks the assistance of an attorney in a personal injury case, he or she has suffered some form of personal injury. Personal injury cases include any personal injury that falls under the categories of physical injury, mental injury or emotional injury. What a personal injury case is not is any litigation that seeks to recover compensation for damages sustained to a piece of property. For instance, if you were to slip in a puddle of water at your local department store, you would be able to recover damages for any personal injuries you sustained, including any humiliation you may have suffered but, under a personal injury case, you would not be entitled to compensation for any damage done to your shoes or your clothing as a result of the fall.