Personal Injury Terms and Definitions

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. 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. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Carbon monoxide is often referred to as CO, which is its chemical symbol. This blocks oxygen from getting into your body, which can damage tissues in your body and can kill you. Injury A wrong or tort. Injuries are divided into public and private; and they affect the. person, personal property, or real property. Disfigurement A technical term in workers' compensation cases for a serious and permanent scar to the head, neck, or face. 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. Gross Negligence Negligence for the safety or lives of others which is so great it appears to be intentional. 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. 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. 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.

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Get legal help for your injuries by hiring a lawyer in Syracuse that you are sure will handle the case with respect to you and the legal profession. Hire a personal injury lawyer that has experience in your claim area.

	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.