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Understanding the jargon relating to personal injury claims

On Behalf of | Oct 15, 2020 | Car Accidents |

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a car accident, you’ll need to ensure that the deserved compensation is gained. This can be a stressful process, and healing both physically and emotionally should always take priority.

One of the reasons why making a claim for compensation after an accident can feel overwhelming is because of the jargon used to refer to the process from a legal perspective. If you are struggling to understand some of the legal terms, the following is a clear explanation of a few of the most commonly used terms.

Statute of limitations

Those injured in accidents have a certain amount of time to file a claim. For example, you simply can’t decide to file a claim 20 years after you were involved in an accident. The statute of limitations is the term for the time you have in which to file a claim for an accident that you were involved in. These are determined by each state.

Negligence

In order to successfully make a claim, you must show that the other party’s negligence led to your injuries. Negligence essentially means that a party failed to act safely. Speeding, drunk driving and texting while driving are some examples of negligence on the road.

Damages

Damages refer to the things that were damaged in the accident. This can pertain to damaged material possessions such as the vehicle, but it can also refer to physical and psychological injuries and the pain and suffering associated with the incident. You can be compensated financially for all damages if you win your claim.

Informal settlement

Informal settlements avoid the courts and involve an agreement between the involved parties, their insurers and their attorneys. Most cases are resolved informally, but some result in a formal lawsuit.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident and suffered damages as a result, it is important that you take action to understand the options available.