Which term describes an injury that occurs as the result of a single incident or exposure?

• A. Specific injury
• B. Cumulative injury
• C. Progressive injury
• D. Recurrent injury

Answer: (A)

Injury classifications often separate injuries by whether they come from one event or from repeated exposure. A single incident or exposure causing damage is described as a specific injury. This term highlights that there is one identifiable event that produced the injury, such as a fall causing a sprain or a chemical splash causing dermatitis. Cumulative injuries, by contrast, result from many small insults over time, like repetitive motions building up to a problem. Progressive injuries worsen with ongoing exposure or disease progression, not just from a one-time event. Recurrent injuries are new occurrences that happen after the initial injury has healed, often related to re-exposure or reinjury of the same area.