Personal Injury Terms and Definitions

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. Trauma Any injury, whether physically or emotionally inflicted. "Trauma" has both a medical and a psychiatric definition. Medically, "trauma" refers to a serious or critical bodily injury, wound, or shock. Vicarious Liability When a person who did not actually cause an injury is held for the injury. Sometimes called imputed liability. 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. 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 General damages Better known as "pain and suffering" damages, which include the emotional trauma from physical injuries, pain, humiliation, etc. Gross Negligence Negligence for the safety or lives of others which is so great it appears to be intentional. Alternative Dispute Resolution An arbitration is a legal hearing, less formal than a trial, in which each side in a lawsuit or dispute offers evidence and testimony to a neutral hearing officer (the arbitrator). The arbitrator is typically an experienced attorney or a retired judge. Tinnitus Ear Ringing Together with other abnormal ear noises, ear ringing is medically called tinnitus. Buzzing, roaring, and pulsitile sounds are sometimes perceived when no sound is present in persons with tinnitus. 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.

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	Did You Know?
	Every 15 seconds someone suffers a brain injury Brain injury patients that have experienced permanent brain injury symptoms can sometimes learn to compensate for the lost functioning with the proper brain injury treatment. This brain injury treatment can be costly and emotionally upsetting, in addition the brain injury may have limited the brain injury victim's previous work and social activities.