Personal Injury Terms and Definitions

Compensatory damages Which measure actual dollar-value losses for such things as medical expenses, lost income, loss of future earning capacity, etc. Compensation Compensation is defined as a recompense for loss. If you suffer an injury, either physical or psychological as the result of an accident that was not your fault, then you may be able to claim a financial award to cover any loss of income, the cost of medical bills, or any other costs that you have incurred as a result of the injury or accident that you would not normally have incurred. Vicarious Liability When a person who did not actually cause an injury is held for the injury. Sometimes called imputed liability. Basilar fracture A break in bone at the base of the skull. About a half of basilar fractures are caused by bicycle or motor vehicle accidents, about a quarter by falls, and a tenth by recreational activities, particularly by diving accidents. Eggshell skull A hypothetical medical condition used to illustrate the idea that if you are at fault when you injure someone, you are responsible for all the consequences, whether you could have foreseen them or not. Managed care Any system that manages healthcare delivery with the aim of controlling costs. Managed care systems typically rely on a primary care physician who acts as a gatekeeper through whom the patient has to go to obtain other health services such as specialty medical care, surgery, or physical therapy. Falls and Hip Fractures Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths (Murphy 2000) and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma Unintentional Injury Two categories of unintentional injury: motor vehicle-related injuries and home and recreation related injuries. Medical Malpractice Medical malpractice is the failure of medical professionals to provide adequate treatment resulting in a personal injury or substantial loss of income. Defective product injury When a product malfunctions due to a defect and causes serious personal injury, the law requires the manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer of the product to bear the losses caused by the defect in the product.

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	Did You Know?
	Tort lawyer is needed when civil wrongs are done Torts fall into three general categories: intentional torts (e.g., intentionally hitting a person); negligent torts (causing an accident by failing to obey traffic rules); and strict liability torts (e.g., liability for making and selling defective products). Intentional torts are those wrongs which the defendant knew or should have known would occur through their actions or inactions.