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. Liable Legally responsible. For example, a person may be liable for a debt, liable for an accident due to careless behavior, liable for failing do something required by a contract or liable for the commission of a crime. Paraplegia Complete paralysis of the lower half of the body including both legs, usually caused by damage to the spinal cord. Mental Anguish Mental suffering. It is different from a physical injury, but may be considered in awarding damages. In some cases damages for mental anguish can be awarded even if no physical injury occured. 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. Disc Injury Injury to the supporting discs (cushions) located between each spinal bone. Discs that are ruptured or cracked may cause extraordinary pressure resulting in back pain. Alternative Dispute Resolution An arbitration is a legal hearing, less formal than a trial, in which each side in a lawsuit or dispute offers evidence and testimony to a neutral hearing officer (the arbitrator). The arbitrator is typically an experienced attorney or a retired judge. Vicarious Liability When a person who did not actually cause an injury is held for the injury. Sometimes called imputed liability. Cerebral edema Accumulation of excessive fluid in the substance of the brain. The brain is especially susceptible to injury from edema, because it is located within a confined space and cannot expand. Punitive damages Also called exemplary damages, which are designed to punish a defendant whose behavior in causing the plaintiff's injuries was especially egregious.

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	Did You Know?
	The term "bodily injury claim" usually refers to a "personal injury claim". Economic damages" would include, but aren't limited to: Lost wages, Medical bills, Rental car expenses, etc. General damages include: Pain, Suffering, Humiliation, Distress. If you settle your bodily injury claim, it must include all the types of damages available to you, or you'll likely lose your right to recover for those losses.