Personal injury cases can be confusing to navigate, especially with all of the legal lingo and jargon used. We’re here to help you through the ABC’s of your case!
People don’t use words like arbitration and litigation on a daily basis. It can be difficult to understand what these words mean if you’re not familiar with the legal world and you’ve never had experience with law. Navigating your personal injury case is difficult enough. We’re here to help make it easier. Here are some commonly used words in our field and what they mean so that you can understand your case.
Arbitration is when a third-party settles a dispute (such as an off-duty judge or attorney).
Bad Faith often refers to insurance companies who deny coverage, fail to negotiate, or anything of the like (i.e. act in bad faith).
Burden of Proof is a plaintiff’s responsibility to provide proof that the defendant is liable for their injury.
Claim is a formal assertion of the right to compensation.
Contingency basis is what personal injury attorneys operate on. Whether you pay a personal injury attorney is contingent upon whether you win your claim or receive a settlement. They only get paid if you do, too.
Damages are what a plaintiff seeks to recover when filing their claim. In a personal injury case, damages can be economic (wage loss, auto repair, medical bills) or non-economic (suffering or pain), but both categories are usually compensated with money.
HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It requires confidentiality for medical records and can apply to personal injury cases.
Litigation is the process of taking legal action and filing a lawsuit.
Loss is any monetary amount that can be assigned to injuries, whether the injury requires monetary expense (medical care and lost income) or not (pain and suffering)
Negligence is any sort of behavior that falls below a reasonable standard of care. In regard to personal injury law, it is acting carelessly rather than with malicious intent.
Premises liability is the liability a property owner to provide compensation for persons who suffer injuries while on their premises.
Tort is a wrongful act or injury that is not criminal and results in legal liability. Examples of torts are negligence and wrongful death.
These words are just a few of the ones that tend to come up in personal injury cases that the everyday person may not be aware of. We’re here to help you navigate your personal injury, and that includes helping you learn the legal lingo and knowing what’s being said and done about your case.
If you or a loved one has been hurt and experienced a personal injury, we can help you. The Hines & Wilson Law Firm has more than 50 years of experience with personal injury claims and is located in Columbia, Missouri. We will use our experience and knowledge to get you the compensation you deserve. If you’ve been experienced a personal injury, call us at (573) 443-4500, our toll-free number (877) 473-4500, or email info@hineswilsonlaw.com for a free and confidential consultation about your claim. If you wait too long, you may lose your right to compensation.
