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Traumatic Brain Injury
Serious injury to the head often resulting in severe and permanent damage to the brain. A bone may break or fracture when the force applied against it is greater than the strength of the bone itself.
Spinal Cord Injury
Injury of the nerves contained within the spinal canal often associated with trauma to the spinal column (spine),Complete: Nerve damage obstructing all signals between the brain and body.Incomplete: Nerve damage obstructing some of the signals between the brain and body.
Contributory negligence
Broadly, carelessness on the plaintiff's part. More precisely, conduct which falls below the standard of care established by law for the protection of one's self against unreasonable risk of harm.
Burn, third degree
A burn in which the damage has progressed to the point of skin death. The skin is white and without sensation.
Auto Car Accident
A simple fender bender car accidents an individual involved can suffer back and neck injuries that have a lasting adverse effect.
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
Soft Tissue Injury
Injury to the ligaments, tendons and fibers of the body that connect the skeletal bones.
Mental Anguish
Mental suffering. It is different from a physical injury, but may be considered in awarding damages. In some cases damages for mental anguish can be awarded even if no physical injury occured.
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.
Disfigurement
A technical term in workers' compensation cases for a serious and permanent scar to the head, neck, or face.
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