Sometimes personal injury terms can look like confusing jargon and a bit overwhelming. But in fact they are very easy to understand. So we’ve decided to collate a list of the most common personal injury terms and simplify them for you.
Admission:
When one side of the party agrees with something the other side has alleged is true.
Claimant:
The individual who has been injured and is making a claim.
Compensation:
The sum of money paid out to the claimant for injury or loss caused.
Defendant:
The individual who has had a claim made against them.
Disbursements:
Expenses incurred during the claim process, e.g doctor, medical reports, counsel’s fees and others.
Loss of Amenity:
This is the impact of an injury on an individual’s quality of life. For example a factory worker loses his sight which reduces his quality of life because one of his main sense has been erased.
Litigation:
Simply means the process of taking legal action against someone.
Negligence:
This is when someone breaches their duty of care or acts carelessly and is responsible for the injuries of another person.
Example: A GP fails to refer a patient to receive specialist treatment. This is a breach of their duty, because they have not met the standard of care and referred the patient.
No Win No Fee:
This is also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). If a client were to lose their case then they will not have to pay anything at all to the solicitors. If the claim is successful then under this agreement you will need to pay your solicitor a percentage of the compensation awarded.
Offer to settle:
This is when both parties come to an agreement and end a claim without the need to go to Court. A dispute can be resolved by using an offer called ‘Part 36’, which can be made by the defendant or claimant at any time.
Quantum:
Simply means, the value of a claim which is derived from specified amounts called ‘special damages’ and unspecified amounts called ‘general damages’.
RTA:
This stands for Road Traffic Accident, covering accidents in cars, on motorcycles and pedal cycles.
Vicarious liability:
This is when someone else is held responsible for another person’s actions. For example if an employee spilt something in an aisle and they were unable to keep customers safe because their employer didn’t have a slip sign.
Now that you have a better understanding of personal injury terminology you can be well on your way to getting the compensation that you deserve. Here at Ward & Rider we have a team of experts dedicated to personal injury claims. Contact us today to arrange a consultation and begin your claim.
