Personal Injury Terms and Definitions

Punitive damages Also called exemplary damages, which are designed to punish a defendant whose behavior in causing the plaintiff's injuries was especially egregious. 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. Bodily Injury A cut, abrasion, bruise, burn, or disfigurement; physical pain, illness, impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty; or any other injury to the body, no matter how temporary. Compensatory damages Which measure actual dollar-value losses for such things as medical expenses, lost income, loss of future earning capacity, etc. 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. Disc Injury Injury to the supporting discs (cushions) located between each spinal bone. Discs that are ruptured or cracked may cause extraordinary pressure resulting in back pain. Wrongful Death Wrongful Death is defined as the death of an individual as a direct result of the negligence of another individual, company, or entity. Acute condition Type of illness or injury that ordinarily lasts less than 3 months, was first noticed less than 3 months before the reference data of the interview, and was serious enough to have had an impact on behavior. Whiplash injury Hyperextension (over-extension) injury to the neck, often the result of being struck from behind, as by a fast-moving vehicle in a car accident. Soft Tissue Injury Injury to the ligaments, tendons and fibers of the body that connect the skeletal bones.

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	Did You Know?
	Nursing home abuse can occur in many different ways. Many people associate nursing home abuse to just physical, however nursing home abuse can also be emotional, psychological, sexual, verbal, and neglect. Watching for signs of nursing home abuse can help prevent further damage from occurring because in many instances residents are afraid to disclose that nursing home abuse is happening.