Accident Attorney Representaion in Chicago, IL
Glossary of Legal Terms
A
Action –A claim brought before a court
Affidavit –A statement of facts that is sworn to under oath, but is in written form
Allegation –An accusation made in court and backed up with evidence
Arbitration –A means of solving disputes that takes place out of court
Assumption of risk –A defense argument that claims a person knew the dangers he or she was undergoing and chose to take the action anyway
B
Beneficiary –A person who will receive benefits in a will
C
Civil –A type of court that handles personal disputes rather than criminal matters
Compensation –A means to making up for a wrongful action, generally involving money
Contingency fee –A way to pay for your Chicago accident lawyer that requires you only pay a portion of your winnings if your case is successful, but nothing if you lose
Countersuit –A lawsuit against the plaintiff filed by the defendant
D
Default judgment –The entry of judgment by the court against a defendant for failure to plead or otherwise properly defend an action brought against him or her.
Defendant –A person who has been accused of wrong doing
Disfigurement –Serious scarring to the visual parts of a person’s body
Dismemberment –The full loss of a body part
E
Emotional distress -strain resulting in emotional and/or physical sickness.
Evidence -Facts that are used to prove a truth
I
Insurance adjuster –Someone hired to investigate an insurance claim in order to minimize insurance payouts.
Intentional infliction of emotional distress –Purposefully causing someone to hurt emotionally
L
Liability –One person's responsibility to another
M
Medical Malpractice -The failure of a doctor, hospital or other medical professional to exercise that degree of skill , care and learning of a reasonable medical professional acting with the ordinary degree of skill, care and learning under the same or similar circumstances resulting in injury to the recipient of the professional medical services and/or those entiltled to rely upon them.
N
Negligence –The failure to do something which a reasonable person acting with ordinary care under the same or similar circumstances would do resulting in injury to another person.
P
Physical therapy –A type of treatment used to help increase mobility and decrease pain
Plaintiff –A person who starts a legal action
Possessor of land –The person who is in charge of land. In most property liability cases, your Chicago accident lawyer will be suing this person
Punitive damages –A type of compensation that is intended to punish the defendant. Punitve damages are not available to a Plaintiff in medical malpractice cases in Illinois.
S
Statute of limitations –A limit on the amount of time a person has to file a lawsuit
W
Wrongful death –When one person dies due to the recklessness or negligence of another.
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