When an individual is involved in some type of personal injury, such as a dog bite accident, social security disability claim or worker’s compensation claim, he or she is often thrown into a world with new legal terminology. This can prove frustrating for any person, especially if he must hear and try to understand these words and phrases while also dealing with injuries, family issues and financial difficulties.

To try to help our clients and our community become more knowledgeable about some of the terminology they may be faced with when pursuing a personal injury claim, we have included below an index of common legal terms and phrases.

Click on a term to view its definition.

 

A

Action to file suit Affidavit Affirmative Defense Answer Appeal Assumption of the Risk

B

Bad faith Beneficiary Benefits Bodily Injury Liability Breach of Duty

C

Capacity Causation Cause Cause of Action Comparative Negligence Compensatory Damages

 

D

Damages Defendant Defense Deposition Design Defect Direct Examination Disability

E

Elder Abuse Elimination Period ERISA Evidence Expert Opinion Ex Parte Expert Witness

F

Fair Employment and Housing Act Final Judgment Foreseeability Filing Fraud

 

G

General Damages Good Faith Good Samaritan Laws Grace Period Grant Guardian

H

Hazardous Condition Health Care Organization Hearing Hearsay Rule Hold Harmless Holding Company

I

Immediate Cause Informed Consent Intangible Injuries Intellectual Property Interrogatories Intervening Cause

 

J

Joint Liability Judge Judgment Judgment on the Merits

K

Keeper Kickback Kind Knowledge

L

Liability Litigation Long Term Disability (LTD) Lost Wages

 

M

Manufacturing Defect Mass Torts Mediation Medical Malpractice Mitigation of Damages

N

Navigable Waters Negligence Negligent Supervision Non-Navigable Waters Nontransferable Voucher

O

Objective factors Offer of Modified or Alternative Work Opening Statement Opinion

 

P

Pain and Suffering Personal Injury Protection Personal Representative Plaintiff Pleadings Premises Liability Property Damage Liability Punitive Damages

Q

Qualified Injured Worker Qualified Medical Evaluator Qualified Rehabilitation Representative Quasi Contract Question of Fact Quid Pro Quo

R

Reasonable Man Standard Rebuttable Presumption Redirect Examination Remote Cause Res Ipsa Loquitur Right of Way Risk Management

 

S

Settlement Standard of Care Statement Statute of Limitations Statute of Repose Strict Liability Subpoena Subpoena Duces Tecum Superseding Cause

T

Tangible Property Temporary Disability Temporary Partial Disability Temporary Total Disability Tort Tort Claim Total Disability Transportation Expenses Treating Physician

U

Unconscionable Undue Influence Underinsured Motorist Coverage Uninsured Employers Fund Uninsured Motorist Coverage Utilization Review

 

V

Vocational Rehabilitation Vocational Rehabilitation Maintenance Allowance Vocational Counselor Voir Dire

W

Warning Defect Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board Work Restrictions Wrongful Death