Which offense requires showing great bodily harm?

• A. Battery
• B. Theft
• C. Assault
• D. Aggravated Battery

Answer: (D)

Great bodily harm is a hallmark element that upwardly elevates a battery to a more serious offense. In aggravated battery, the harm inflicted must be great—serious physical injury such as life-threatening injuries, permanent impairment, or disfigurement—and that serious injury is what distinguishes it from simple battery. If the harm isn’t at that level, the charge would be simple battery rather than aggravated battery.

Battery covers unlawful contact or offensive touching but doesn’t require that the victim suffer great bodily harm. Assault involves either attempting to commit a battery or placing someone in reasonable fear of imminent harm, and it doesn’t necessitate actual great bodily harm. Theft concerns taking someone else’s property, which is unrelated to bodily harm. So the case where proving great bodily harm is essential is aggravated battery.