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Legal Dictionary: Find all the words a personal injury solicitor is likely to use explained in plain English
Legal dictionary: Using this page you will find a legal dictionary setting out in alphabetical order words and phrases of legal jargon with a definition in plain English.
Legal Words / Phrases
Scroll down to find the word or phrase you would like the definition of - the words are set out in alphabetical order.
Legal Dictionary
Accident book
A record kept by an employer detailing the date and description of all accidents to all employees from the very minor to the most serious.
accident sickness insurance
This is a private policy of insurance you can take out as an employee which will make certain payments on your behalf if you are absent from work or you are made unemployed as a result of accident or sickness. It is also known as accident sickness unemployment insurance.
asbestosis
Scarring of lungs caused by exposure to asbestos fibres over many years. As the lung scarring becomes worse you will notice shortness of breath, coughing and quite often weight loss.
case law
Laws decided over time by the courts. An earlier court decision can form what is known as a precedent, which can be influence later court decisions.
Case Management Conference
A court hearing in which a judge and the representatives for the Claimant and Defendant attend to set a timetable up to a proposed trial date.
causation
A legal term in the UK which states that a negligent act must have actually caused an injury for compensation to be claimed.
charge rate
Hourly rate for professional fees for the time spent by your accident lawyer working on your compensation claim.
CICA
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority - the organisation responsible for paying criminal injury compensation to victims of a crime of violence in Great Britain.
CICAP
Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel
Claimant
The person making the claim for compensation - which will be you if you are the person who was injured through no fault of your own.
CMC
Case management conference - see definition for case management conference.
comprehensive insurance
A form of motor vehicle insurance which pays compensation to innocent accident victims and also pays for the repair to your own vehicle irrespective of fault.
Conditional Fee Agreement
No win no fee agreement (see no win no fee agreement)
contributory negligence
An act or omission by an accident victim that may have caused or partly caused your own injury. If your own negligence contributed to your own injury the amount of compensation your receive might be reduced.
Criminal Injury
A personal injury caused during a "crime of violence" - the injury can be both physical and mental.
Crime of Violence
A criminal act which includes the use of personal violence or the threat of the use of personal violence; examples include: assault, rape, child abuse and wounding with a weapon.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel
The official body which hears appeals of criminal injury claims from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
The organisation responsible for paying criminal injury compensation to victims of a crime of violence in Great Britain.
damages
Another word for compensation.
Defendant
The person who you make a compensation claim against. Technically this person is known as the Defendant once your claim is issued at court.
disbursements
Sums of money that your lawyer makes no profit on and pays on your behalf. They include the money paid to your GP for his notes and the money paid to court to start your claim.
50/50 ; fifty/fifty
A 50/50 is a term used exclusively in road traffic accidents. It describes the position where an road accident occurs when both vehicle drivers in the accident were equally at fault. In such circumstances a very rare situation in law occurs - both party is responsible for paying 50% of the other's loss.
foreseeability
A test in UK law which presumes that a person could predict that their negligenc could lead to injury to an innocent person.
frozen shoulder
A frozen shoulder is the medical name given to a shoulder joint that has lost a significant amount of its range of motion in all directions.
Full and final settlement
"Full and final settlement" is a legal term used to mean that an offer or compensation payment is made for the whole of your claim and if accepted you will not be able to claim any additional sums in the future no matter what happens to your injury.
future lost income
Income losses after your compensation claim concludes. Future lost income is calcuated from an estimate by a medical expert as to how long your injuries will affect your ability to work.
general damages
Money to compensate you for your pain and suffering and uncertain losses as a result of personal injury - such losses do not have a fixed value and are calculated by your solicitor.
Health and Safety Executive
A government body which monitors and enfoces health and safety law in the UK workplace.
Highway Code
Safety rules for all lawful users of public roads in the UK.
insurance company outlay
It is typical that a comprehensive motor vehicle insurer may have met some expenses associated with your road accident before your claim for compensation from the driver at fault was made, such as the cost of repairing your vehicle. This expense is known as your "insurance company outlay".
insurance excess
A small sum of money, normally between £50 - £100, which you will have to pay on your insurance when making a claim. E.g. comprehensive motor vehicle insurance will pay the full expense of the repair of your vehicle when it is involved in an accident subject to you paying the policy excess.
insurance panel solicitor
A solicitor who has a relationship with an insurance company - such as Legal Protection Cover on a motor insurance policy. The insurer will want you to use one of their panel solicitors to make your claim for compensation.
issued at court
The process of formally lodging your compensation claim in a UK court - when your solicitor sends your claim and supporting documents to court the court stamps them and it is at that stage your claim is issued at court.
Judgement in Default
If the persona you have served court proceedings on fails to acknowledge service or provide a Defence within the time period specified by the court on the court papers you can apply for judgement on the issue of liability in default of a Defence.
Judgement in default can also be obtained should the court specify a step within the court timetable which the Defendant fails to comply with.
Judicial Studies Board
Guidelines describing the amounts of compensation awarded by the courts in England and Wales for all manner of personal injuries. It is a general guide with a range of compensation values for each injury and is updated annually.
Law Society
The Law Society is the official body which monitors all the solicitors practising in each country that makes up the UK. There is a Law Society for England and Wales, one for Scotland and one for Northern Ireland.
Law Society accredited solicitor
A solicitor who has proved to the Law Society to have sufficent experience and expertise to be endorsed by the Law Society as a specialist. The two main accreditation schemes for accident claims include personal injury accrediation and clinical negligence accreditation.
lawyer
Legal professional qualified to practise law in the UK - either a barrister or a solicitor.
Legal aid
State funding which will pay your legal costs for certain types of personal injury claims, such as medical negligence. To be eligible you must have a limited income and savings below a certain amount.
legal jurisdiction
A country or geographical area where the law is consistent throughout - any accident claim should be made in the courts of that country or area only. For example, the UK is made up of 3 distinct legal jurisdictions namely: England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; each having slightly different laws and different courts.
Legal Protection Cover
A clause on an insurance policy which will pay for your legal costs in pursuing a personal injury claim following an accident. It is often found, for example, as an added extra on household contents insurance or motor vehicle insurance.
Legal Protection Insurance
An insurance clause on a broader insurance policy which will pay for your legal costs in pursuing a personal injury claim following an accident. It is often found, for example, as an added extra on household contents insurance or motor vehicle insurance.
Legal Services Commission
Formely known as the Legal Aid Board - the organisation responsible for public funding of the legal costs in pursuing a claim.
letter of claim
A formal letter to the person you hold responsible for accident which starts your compensation claim process. See letter of claim for more details.
liability
Legal responsibility for your accident and so compensation claim.
litigation friend
The adult, such as father or mother, who makes a compensation claim for their child injured in an accident. In English law you must be over 18 to make a claim - if under 18 years a litigation friend must make the claim on your behalf.
Mesothelioma
A rare type of cancer - which can be caused by a single asbestos fibre becoming embedded in the thin lining, known as the "mesothelium", surrounding your internal organs. The asbestos fibre can cause a malignant tumour (an abnormal growth which doesn't respond to treatment) which is known as "mesothelioma".
MIB
Motor Insurers Bureau - the organisation which pays compensation when the driver of a driver of a vehicle who caused a road accident was not insured or cannot be found.
Motor Insurers Bureau
The organisation which pays compensation when the driver of a driver of a vehicle who caused a road accident was not insured or cannot be found.
motor vehicle insurance
A policy of insurance which all vehicle owners and drivers in the UK must have in place which will pay for compensation to injured innocent accident victims.
negligence
An error which allows you to have a claim for compensation under UK law.
no claims bonus
A percentage reduction in the annual premium of an insurance policy (for example motor vehicle or household contents insurance) as a result of no claims being made on that policy.
no admission of liability
An offer in an accident claim can be made "without an admission of liability" - meaning that the offer is made in an attempt to settle your accident claim without the person accepting that the accident was their fault. Click without prejudice offer to see a page I have written giving examples and explaining the term in more detail.
no win no fee
An agreement for the paying of your legal costs in making a personal injury claim. Under this agreement your solicitor agrees not to charge you any legal costs if you do not win your claim. Normally if the your accident claim is successful your legal costs will be paid by the losing party. A "no win no fee" agreement is also known as a "conditional fee" agreement.
novus actus interveniens
A convenient Latin phrase used in law to mean "an intervening act breaks the chain of causation". If you are suffering symptoms from one accident, but before the symptoms subside a second accident occurs affecting the same part of the body and the second accident would have caused the same or worse injuries whether the first accident had occurred or not then the first accident is only responsible for pain and suffering for the time period up to the second accident event.
Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tour Regulations 1992
The law in the UK which protects UK citizens who have booked a package holiday - includes being able to claim compensation in the UK for an accident overseas. Click package holiday claims to read the page I have written explaining how the regulations work in relation to overseas accidents.
part 36 offer
A formal offer of settlement typically for a fixed sum of money in compensation claims which stays open for 21 days. It is made in accordance with Part 36 of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998, hence its name.
past lost income
Income losses which have already taken place before a compensation claim concludes. These losses can be calculated exactly and are normally calculated as a nett figure - income after deduction of tax and national insurance.
PI
An abbreviation fpr personal injury.
procedural law
The law of "how to do things" in the courts. The procedure for personal injury claims is currently governed by The Civil Procedure Rules 1998 and explains all the technical requirements to take any legal steps in the courts.
prognosis
An opinion given by a medical expert as to how an injury from an accident will continue into the future. A prognosis will often provide an estimate of the severity of pain into the future, the likely future recovery period and the effect on your ability to work and enjoy any hobbies you may have.
quantum
The amount of compensation a personal injury claim is worth - includes both compensation for injuries and financial losses incurred.
Repetitive Strain Injury
An occupational injury caused from excessive small repetitive movements of the upper limbs. Click repetive strain injury to see how to make a claim.
RIDDOR
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations - a report sent to the Health and Safety Executive by an employer following certain accidents at work.
risk assessment
Before an employee can do a job in the workplace an employer is required to look at the way the job is done and assess any possible risks of danger to ensure the employees safety at all times. If an injury occurs another risk assessment should be completed to reassess how the job should now be done and any dangers involved. An employer must keep a record of these assessments.
road traffic accident
An accident involving at least one motor vehicle on a road or other public highway resulting in personal injury or property damage.
RSI
Repetitive Strain Injury - an occupational injury caused from excessive small repetitive movements of the upper limbs.
RTA
Road Traffic Accident - an accident involving at least one motor vehicle on a road or other public highway resulting in personal injury or property damage.
Silicosis
The most common form of lung disease from inhaling dust such as quartz - quartz is one of the earth's most plentiful minerals.
Setting aside judgement in default
A Defendant can apply to the court to set aside a judgement on liability obtained because the Defendant failed to meet a time period specified by the court within the court proceedings.
small claims track
The name given to the court procedure for a compensation claim worth less than £1000 for pain and suffering for personal injury and less than £5000 in total for all losses and injuries. In a small claims track the winner does not have to pay the loser's costs, but only a very small proportion of them.
special damages
Past financial expenses that you have already incurred as a result of your accident and include: lost income up to the date your claim settles known as "past lost income", the cost of repair to your damaged vehicle, medical expenses, the cost of a hire vehicle, travel expenses etc.
statute
Laws decided by parliament.
substantive law
The theory of law based on case law and statute.
third party insurance
A type of motor vehicle insurance policy which pays compensation to innocent accident victims injured by due by the insured vehicle driver.
vibration white finger
A type of industrial injury caused by exposure to vibrating machinery in the workplace.
VWF
Vibration white finger - a type of industrial injury caused by exposure to vibrating machinery in the workplace.
Without prejudice
This is a legal phrase which when used means that whatever offer or is said without prejudice cannot be referred to at court. Click without prejudice offer to see the page I have written explaining the use of this term in an accident claim.
whiplash
Injury to the bones, muscles or soft tissues of the neck or cervical spine. It typically occurs from the head being violently thrown forwards and backwards as can occur from the use of a seatbelt in a car accident.
worker compensation insurance
An insurance policy your employer is required by law to have in place which will pay your compensation claim if you are injured in the workplace.
