Atlanta Accident Glossary

A
Action –A claim brought to the court
Affidavit –A statement of facts that has been confirmed under oath, but is written, not spoken
Allegation –A claim made in court and backed up with evidence
Arbitration –A method for solving disputes out of court
Assumption of risk –A defense strategy that says a person was aware of the risks when they did a certain action, but chose to do it anyway
B
Beneficiary –A person who can receive benefits under the will of another
C
Capacity defense –A legal defense that says a person does not have the mental capacity to be held responsible for his or her actions. This is often used in cases involving the mentally handicapped and children.
Civil –A court that deals with personal disputes and remedies rather than crimes
Clear and convincing evidence –A legal standard used in civil cases that is not as strict as the innocent until proven guilty standard used in criminal courts. Your Atlanta accident attorney can help you meet this standard
Compensation –A way to make up for a loss, generally involving money
Contingency fee –An agreement to pay your Atlanta accident lawyer part of your compensation if you win. This means you pay nothing if you lose
Countersuit –A lawsuit filed against the plaintiff of another suit by the defendant
D
Default judgment –A decision made against someone who fails to respond to charges
Defendant –Someone accused of wrongdoing
Disability –Something that impairs a person from performing basic acts
Disfigurement –Major scarring on a person’s body, particularly in the face
Dismemberment –The loss of a body part
E
Emotional distress –Grave worry
Evidence –A piece of fact presented in court to prove a truth
H
Hit and run –When a driver leaves an accident without providing identifying information
I
Inadmissible –Evidence that cannot be used in the courtroom
Insurance adjuster –Someone hired by the insurance company to investigate an accident and minimize the company payout. By working with a top Atlanta accident attorney, you can help maximize your settlement in spite of the adjuster
Intentional infliction of emotional distress –Purposefully causing severe worry to another person
L
Liability –Someone’s responsibility to someone else
Loss of consortium –Lost companionship
M
Manslaughter –Unintentionally killing another person
N
Negligence –A failure to provide an acceptable level of attention in a given situation
P
Pain and suffering –Physical pain and emotional anguish
Physical therapy –A type of therapy used after a serious accident to increase mobility and reduce pain
Plaintiff –Someone who starts a legal action
Possessor of land –A person in charge of property. This may be the property owner or the tenant depending on the situation. Your Atlanta accident lawyer can help you identify who is responsible in your claim
Premise liability –The responsibility of a possessor of land to keep the premise safe
Product liability –A manufacturer’s responsibility to only release safe products
Punitive damages –Compensation used to punish the defendant
S
Slip and fall –An injury caused by poor care of the ground or floor
Statute of limitations –A limit on the amount of time you have to sue
W
Wrongful death –When a person’s was killed due to negligence or recklessness on the part of someone else