Personal Injury Terms and Definitions

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 Gross Negligence Negligence for the safety or lives of others which is so great it appears to be intentional. 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. Vicarious Liability When a person who did not actually cause an injury is held for the injury. Sometimes called imputed liability. Workers Compensation These benefits include payment of all medical expenses and reimbursement for a portion of wages lost due to disability caused by the injury. 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. Amicus curiae (Latin: "friend of the court.") Person or organization that files a legal brief with the court expressing its views on a case involving other parties because it has a strong interest in the subject matter of the action. 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. Occupational Disease An illness resulting from long-term employment in a particular type of work, such as mesothelioma (a type of cancer) from workers exposed to asbestos. 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.

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	Did You Know?
	There are safety regulations that are intended to help prevent trucking accidents from occurring Violations of safety recommendations greatly increase the risk of trucking accidents. Truck drivers must assume responsibility to take all measures to avoid trucking accidents and putting other drivers on the road in risk of becoming injured because of a trucking accident.