The wound must come from an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy.
Simply being wounded in action is not enough to be awarded the Purple Heart.


Not according to the official rules.

You can get a Purple Heart for death or wound by friendly fire, if there is a
good indication that the friendly fire was intended for the enemy.

You can get a Purple Heart for injuries suffered in a parachute landing,
provided that the parachuting was required as a result of hostile
fire.

Also, for traffic accidents that result from hostile fire. You are walking down
the sidewalk in Baghdad. A terrorist sniper takes out the driver of a personel
carrier and that carrier then proceeds to run up onto the sidewalk and breaks
your legs. According to the rules you might be elegible for the award after
being hit by a US truck, since the traffic accident was caused by hostile fire.

*******

(6) It is not intended that such a strict interpretation of the requirement for
the wound or injury to be caused by direct result of hostile action be taken
that it would preclude the award being made to deserving personnel. Commanders
must also take into consideration, the circumstances surrounding an injury,
even if it appears to meet the criteria. Note the following examples:

(a) In case such as an individual injured while making a parachute landing from
an aircraft that had been brought down enemy fire; or, an individual injured as
a result of a vehicle accident caused by enemy fire, the decision will be made
in favor of the individual and the award will be made.

(b) Individuals wounded or killed as a result of "friendly fire" in the "heat
of battle" will be awarded the Purple Heart as long as the "friendly"
projectile or agent was released with the full intent of inflicting damage or
destroying enemy troops or equipment.

(c) Individuals injured as a result of their own negligence; for example,
driving or walking through an unauthorized area known to have been mined or
placed off limits or searching for or picking up unexploded munitions as war
souvenirs, will not be awarded the Purple Heart as they clearly were not
injured as a result of enemy action, but rather by their own negligence.

http://www.purpleheart.org/Awd_of_PH.htm