Personal Injury Terms and Definitions

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. 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 Defective product injury When a product malfunctions due to a defect and causes serious personal injury, the law requires the manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer of the product to bear the losses caused by the defect in the product. Joint Pain Joint pain can be caused by injury affecting any of the ligaments, bursae, or tendons surrounding the joint. Injury can also affect the ligaments, cartilage, and bones within the joint. 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. 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. 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. 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. Ambulatory Surgery Ambulatory surgery refers to previously scheduled surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed on an outpatient basis in a hospital or freestanding ambulatory surgery center's general or main operating rooms Disfigurement A technical term in workers' compensation cases for a serious and permanent scar to the head, neck, or face.

Contact a personal injury attorney in Vermont now!

Get legal help for your injuries by hiring a lawyer in Vermont 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?
	There are safety regulations that are intended to help prevent trucking accidents from occurring Violations of safety recommendations greatly increase the risk of trucking accidents. Truck drivers must assume responsibility to take all measures to avoid trucking accidents and putting other drivers on the road in risk of becoming injured because of a trucking accident.