When dealing with a lawsuit, you may come across these terms:
Causation
In order to receive compensation for your injury from an accident, you must prove that your injuries were actually caused by the accident. In almost every case, this requires a doctor to clearly state that the accident was the cause of your injuries. If Causation of the injuries is not proven, there can be no compensation.
In order to receive compensation for your injury from an accident, you must prove that your injuries were actually caused by the accident. In almost every case, this requires a doctor to clearly state that the accident was the cause of your injuries. If Causation of the injuries is not proven, there can be no compensation.
Comparative Negligence
When an accident occurs and you are injured, the other driver may say that you were either entirely or partially at fault for the accident. The law recognizes that two people may both be partially at fault for the accident. The amount of your own negligence in causing the accident is called Comparative Negligence. In order to recover compensation for your injury, you must show that you were less than 50% at fault for the accident. Any amount of Comparative Negligence less than 50% on your part will reduce your compensation by that percentage.
When an accident occurs and you are injured, the other driver may say that you were either entirely or partially at fault for the accident. The law recognizes that two people may both be partially at fault for the accident. The amount of your own negligence in causing the accident is called Comparative Negligence. In order to recover compensation for your injury, you must show that you were less than 50% at fault for the accident. Any amount of Comparative Negligence less than 50% on your part will reduce your compensation by that percentage.
Damages
The total calculation of your losses as a result of the accident are called Damages. This represents the entire amount of compensation which you can recover as a result of the lawsuit. Typically, this amount includes pain & suffering, outstanding medical bills, lost wages, and any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by you.
The total calculation of your losses as a result of the accident are called Damages. This represents the entire amount of compensation which you can recover as a result of the lawsuit. Typically, this amount includes pain & suffering, outstanding medical bills, lost wages, and any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by you.
Full Tort
When you purchase car insurance, you must select a tort option: Limited or Full. Selecting Full Tort lets you keep your full right to recover when you are injured as the result of a car accident. Although Limited Tort is slightly cheaper, only Full Tort allows you to fully recover all the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Read more about the merits of Full Tort over Limited Tort.
When you purchase car insurance, you must select a tort option: Limited or Full. Selecting Full Tort lets you keep your full right to recover when you are injured as the result of a car accident. Although Limited Tort is slightly cheaper, only Full Tort allows you to fully recover all the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Read more about the merits of Full Tort over Limited Tort.
Liability
When the evidence proves that the other driver is at fault for the accident, and that the accident caused your injuries, Liability has been established against the other driver. At that point, the only remaining issue would be calculating the compensation for your damages.
When the evidence proves that the other driver is at fault for the accident, and that the accident caused your injuries, Liability has been established against the other driver. At that point, the only remaining issue would be calculating the compensation for your damages.
Liability Insurance
When you purchase an automobile, you are required to carry liability insurance on your vehicle. This provides coverage on your behalf in the event that there is an accident which is your fault. If you are injured in an accident caused by another driver, their liability insurance is responsible for payment. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the minimum liability coverage is $15,000. However, higher limits are available as an option.
When you purchase an automobile, you are required to carry liability insurance on your vehicle. This provides coverage on your behalf in the event that there is an accident which is your fault. If you are injured in an accident caused by another driver, their liability insurance is responsible for payment. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the minimum liability coverage is $15,000. However, higher limits are available as an option.
Lien
When you are injured in an accident, sometimes your health insurance will pay for some of your medical bills. This may be a private insurer, such as Aetna or Blue Cross, or it may be public benefits such as welfare, Medicare or Medicaid. When the insurers pay for some of your medical bills, the law allows them to seek reimbursement for those bills. In order to make sure they will get reimbursed, the health insurance will place a lien on your case - which simply means that they are entitled to receive some of their money back when you receive compensation for your injuries. This amount will be deducted from the compensation before any money is distributed to you.
When you are injured in an accident, sometimes your health insurance will pay for some of your medical bills. This may be a private insurer, such as Aetna or Blue Cross, or it may be public benefits such as welfare, Medicare or Medicaid. When the insurers pay for some of your medical bills, the law allows them to seek reimbursement for those bills. In order to make sure they will get reimbursed, the health insurance will place a lien on your case - which simply means that they are entitled to receive some of their money back when you receive compensation for your injuries. This amount will be deducted from the compensation before any money is distributed to you.
Limited Tort
When you purchase car insurance, you must select a tort option: Limited or Full. Limited tort is cheaper, but restricts your ability to be compensated for your injuries if you are injured in an accident. Although many people like to save some money on their policies, selecting limited tort is a bad option. Read more about the merits of Full Tort over Limited Tort.
When you purchase car insurance, you must select a tort option: Limited or Full. Limited tort is cheaper, but restricts your ability to be compensated for your injuries if you are injured in an accident. Although many people like to save some money on their policies, selecting limited tort is a bad option. Read more about the merits of Full Tort over Limited Tort.
Negligence
The law defines Negligence as conduct outside the standard of a "reasonably prudent person" in the same situation. So, if someone commits an action that a reasonable, prudent person would not have committed (such as swerving needlessly into another lane of travel), they are negligent in that action. Similarly, if a person fails to perform an action that a reasonable, prudent person would perform (such as failing to stop at a stop sign), they are also negligent in that action.
The law defines Negligence as conduct outside the standard of a "reasonably prudent person" in the same situation. So, if someone commits an action that a reasonable, prudent person would not have committed (such as swerving needlessly into another lane of travel), they are negligent in that action. Similarly, if a person fails to perform an action that a reasonable, prudent person would perform (such as failing to stop at a stop sign), they are also negligent in that action.
Pain & Suffering
Also called non-economic damages, Pain & Suffering represents the physical, mental and emotional pain of suffering through your injury. The law does not provide an exact way to calculate the proper amount of compensation for Pain & Suffering, so the amount is left up to a judge or jury. Generally speaking, the decision is based on the seriousness of the injury, the hardship created for that particular person, the credibility of the person's testimony, and the amount of medical treatment. Our experienced attorneys know the fair value of injuries from accidents, and we will fight to get you every penny.
Also called non-economic damages, Pain & Suffering represents the physical, mental and emotional pain of suffering through your injury. The law does not provide an exact way to calculate the proper amount of compensation for Pain & Suffering, so the amount is left up to a judge or jury. Generally speaking, the decision is based on the seriousness of the injury, the hardship created for that particular person, the credibility of the person's testimony, and the amount of medical treatment. Our experienced attorneys know the fair value of injuries from accidents, and we will fight to get you every penny.
PFRACP
The Pennsylvania Financial Responsibility Assigned Claims Plan (PFRACP) is quite a complicated name for a pretty simple idea. The PFRACP is a fund created by Pennsylvania to pay up to $15,000 to someone who is injured in a car accident where the negligent driver does not have any car insurance to cover the injuries. The PFRACP will also cover cases where the negligent driver cannot be identified because they left the scene in a hit-and-run accident. In order to recover from the PFRACP, the injured person must be a Pennsylvania resident who is not covered by any car insurance policy owned by themselves or a family member in the same household.
The Pennsylvania Financial Responsibility Assigned Claims Plan (PFRACP) is quite a complicated name for a pretty simple idea. The PFRACP is a fund created by Pennsylvania to pay up to $15,000 to someone who is injured in a car accident where the negligent driver does not have any car insurance to cover the injuries. The PFRACP will also cover cases where the negligent driver cannot be identified because they left the scene in a hit-and-run accident. In order to recover from the PFRACP, the injured person must be a Pennsylvania resident who is not covered by any car insurance policy owned by themselves or a family member in the same household.
PIP
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage is required on all automobile insurance policies. Also called No-Fault coverage, PIP is insurance coverage which pays for medical bills if you are injured in an accident. As the nickname suggests, this coverage pays even if you are at fault. In Pennsylvania, the minimum required amount of PIP is $5,000. Higher limits are available as an option. In New Jersey, the standard insurance policy carries $250,000 in PIP coverage.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage is required on all automobile insurance policies. Also called No-Fault coverage, PIP is insurance coverage which pays for medical bills if you are injured in an accident. As the nickname suggests, this coverage pays even if you are at fault. In Pennsylvania, the minimum required amount of PIP is $5,000. Higher limits are available as an option. In New Jersey, the standard insurance policy carries $250,000 in PIP coverage.
Tort
Often used but commonly misunderstood, a Tort is best described as conduct which causes a civil harm. This harm may be physical, emotional, or monetary. Whereas the criminal system seeks to enforce state laws to prevent harmful conduct, the civil Tort system seeks to compensate victims of other people's harmful actions.
Often used but commonly misunderstood, a Tort is best described as conduct which causes a civil harm. This harm may be physical, emotional, or monetary. Whereas the criminal system seeks to enforce state laws to prevent harmful conduct, the civil Tort system seeks to compensate victims of other people's harmful actions.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM)
Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM) is an optional selection on your car insurance policy. When you add UIM Coverage to your policy, you are protecting yourself against drivers with minimal insurance. In Pennsylvania, the minimum required liability coverage is $15,000. If you are injured by a driver who has minimum coverage, there may not be enough insurance money to cover your full settlement. By adding UIM Coverage to your own policy, you create a second level of coverage that will pay if the other driver does not have enough coverage. Without this second level of coverage, you may be left without full compensation.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM) is an optional selection on your car insurance policy. When you add UIM Coverage to your policy, you are protecting yourself against drivers with minimal insurance. In Pennsylvania, the minimum required liability coverage is $15,000. If you are injured by a driver who has minimum coverage, there may not be enough insurance money to cover your full settlement. By adding UIM Coverage to your own policy, you create a second level of coverage that will pay if the other driver does not have enough coverage. Without this second level of coverage, you may be left without full compensation.
Uninsured Driver
A driver who does not carry insurance on their vehicle is called an uninsured driver. Additionally, a driver who leaves the scene of a car accident and is unidentifiable (hit-and-run) is also considered by the law to be an uninsured driver. When you are the victim of a car accident caused by an uninsured or unidentified driver, your ability to be paid for your injuries are very limited. Although Pennsylvania provides a fund to help pay victims of car accidents caused by uninsured drivers (PFRACP), this fund is not available to most Pennsylvanians because of certain restrictions. The best approach is to use your own insurance policy to protect yourself against uninsured drivers.
A driver who does not carry insurance on their vehicle is called an uninsured driver. Additionally, a driver who leaves the scene of a car accident and is unidentifiable (hit-and-run) is also considered by the law to be an uninsured driver. When you are the victim of a car accident caused by an uninsured or unidentified driver, your ability to be paid for your injuries are very limited. Although Pennsylvania provides a fund to help pay victims of car accidents caused by uninsured drivers (PFRACP), this fund is not available to most Pennsylvanians because of certain restrictions. The best approach is to use your own insurance policy to protect yourself against uninsured drivers.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM)
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) is an optional selection on your car insurance policy. When you add UM coverage to your policy, you are protecting yourself against drivers on the road who have no insurance. There are many drivers across the country, particularly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, who drive without any insurance. If one of these drivers injures you in an accident, there would be no insurance coverage available on their vehicle. If you add UM Coverage to your policy, you will be able to recover compensation for your injuries. Read more surprising details about uninsured drivers and how to protect yourself with UM coverage.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) is an optional selection on your car insurance policy. When you add UM coverage to your policy, you are protecting yourself against drivers on the road who have no insurance. There are many drivers across the country, particularly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, who drive without any insurance. If one of these drivers injures you in an accident, there would be no insurance coverage available on their vehicle. If you add UM Coverage to your policy, you will be able to recover compensation for your injuries. Read more surprising details about uninsured drivers and how to protect yourself with UM coverage.