Key Terms: Personal Injury Edition

Here are some common terms used in a personal injury lawsuit.

Plaintiff

The plaintiff is the injured party or parties submitting a claim for the injury. 

Defendant

The defendant is usually a term in a criminal case, but it can be used in a civil case. The defendant is referred to as the respondent in a civil tort action like in an accident case.

Negligence

Most injury claims depend on negligence, and it can be applied to multiple parties in many instances. The blame can be assigned in percentages in some cases. Negligence must be proven against the defendant by the plaintiff's legal counsel, and comparative negligence, where both parties are at fault, can be used as a defense.

Damages

Damages refers to financial compensation for injured parties. They can be both compensatory or punitive, intended as punishment, for gross negligence when proven in a trial. 

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