Personal Injury Terms and Definitions

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. Ambulatory Surgery Ambulatory surgery refers to previously scheduled surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed on an outpatient basis in a hospital or freestanding ambulatory surgery center's general or main operating rooms Traumatic Brain Injury A blow or jolt to the head can result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can disrupt the function of the brain. Concussions, also called “closed head injuries,” are a type of TBI. Unintentional Injury Two categories of unintentional injury: motor vehicle-related injuries and home and recreation related injuries. Loss of Consortium When a person is injured, that person's spouse may also have a valid claim for Loss of Consortium. Loss of consortium represent many things, including the spouse's loss of the injured person's assistance in caring for the family home and children, as well as the additional stress and strain placed upon the marital relationship by the physical injuries that were suffered. 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 Asbestos Lawsuit Asbestos has been shown to cause a form of cancer called mesothelioma and this has produced many lawsuits agains manufacturers and users of asbestos. Bodily Injury A cut, abrasion, bruise, burn, or disfigurement; physical pain, illness, impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty; or any other injury to the body, no matter how temporary. Burden of proof A party's job of convincing the decisionmaker in a trial that the party's version of the facts is true. In a civil trial, it means that the plaintiff must convince the judge or jury "by a preponderance of the evidence" that the plaintiff's version is true -- that is, over 50% of the believable evidence is in the plaintiff's favor. General damages Better known as "pain and suffering" damages, which include the emotional trauma from physical injuries, pain, humiliation, etc.

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Get legal help for your injuries by hiring a lawyer in West Virginia that you are sure will handle the case with respect to you and the legal profession. Hire a personal injury lawyer that has experience in your claim area.

	Did You Know?
	Health care insurers can be repaid from a personal injury settlement It's quite common. Most health insurance policies now have language that allows the insurance company to be repaid for the amount paid out on medical bills if the insured person gets a personal injury settlement. Depending on the law in your state, your daughter may be able to deduct attorney's fees and costs from the total amount owed to her health insurer.