[susan53]

Hi Mesmark -
I agree with you on hurt and injure to describe physical injury to people, as long as they're transitive verbs (used with an object). But in other more metaphorical contexts they're not always interchangeable : for example you can hurt someone's feelings but not injure them.
But only hurt can be used intransitively with the meaning cause pain : Don't worry - this won't hurt.

I don't agree with you on damage though. For me, damage is generally used with objects - the table was badly damaged in the fire. Used for people I would generally use it for organs of the body - His years of constant drinking had severely damaged his liver. - not for limbs. So I find your final example strange.