Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorneys
Glossary & Definitions

Quadriplegia - Complete paralysis of the body from the neck down, usually caused by damage to the spinal cord.

Ambulatory Surgery - Ambulatory surgery refers to previously scheduled surgical and non-surgical procedures performed on an outpatient basis in a hospital or freestanding ambulatory surgery center's general or main operating rooms

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.

Are you or a family member suffering from a trauma caused by the negligence of another? Contact Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorneys for legal help today.

Low back pain - Common causes of low back pain include lumbar strain, nerve irritation, lumbar radiculopathy, bony encroachment, and conditions of the bone and joints.

Medical Malpractice - Medical malpractice is the failure of medical professionals to provide adequate treatment resulting in a personal injury or substantial loss of income.

Punitive damages - Also called exemplary damages, which are designed to punish a defendant whose behavior in causing the plaintiff's injuries was especially egregious.

Burden of proof - A party's job of convincing the decision maker 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.

Unintentional Injury - Two categories of unintentional injury: motor vehicle-related injuries and home and recreation related injuries.

Basilar fracture - A break in bone at the base of the skull. About a half of basilar fractures are caused by bicycle or motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, about a quarter by falls, and a tenth by recreational activities, particularly by diving accidents.

Alternative Dispute Resolution - 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.

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