When dealing with personal injury law, there are a lot of phrases and terms being tossed around that many people scratch their heads over. Some them can be easily figured out in the right context where others is like a whole new language. In an effort to assist our clients understand the phrases often heard in personal injury cases, we at Kajioka and Associates, Attorneys at Law have compiled a glossary.
Personal & Medical Injury Law Vocabulary & Glossary of Terms
Attorney: A person whom passed the Bar Exam and fulfilling multiple requirements to become licensed by the State Bar of Nevada to practice law in Nevada.
CDL: Commercial Driver’s License.
Collateral Source Doctrine: A party responsible solely for any damage caused irrespective of the victim’s personal methods to cover the injury debt as the Defendants is prevented from offsetting collateral sources of insurance and/or supplemental payment sources when paying damages to injured parties which is established Nevada Law.
Declaratory Action: Two parties with a viable controversy with an action to force a declaration or decision regarding that specific controversy.
Defendant: The party at fault.
D.U.I.: Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol; in Nevada the limit .08.
Fatal Detail: The n police agency department that investigates fatal crashes.
First Party Insurance: The victim/injured party’s coverage.
HPD: Henderson Police Department
Interpleader: An action allowing the Court to decide how an issue will be decided, typically used with insurance funds when more than one party claims interest to the funds.
Intervenor: A party to an action that may have an interest who intervenes in the case.
Las Vegas District Court: Court designated to handle matters over $10,000.00.
Las Vegas Justice Court: Court designated to handle matters under $10,000.00.
Las Vegas Small Claims Court: Court designated to handle matters under $5,000.00.
LVMPD: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Medical Payments Coverage: The coverage that will pay for damages to persons in the covered vehicle for injuries “in and around” the vehicle; also referred to as “Med-pay” coverage.
Motions in Limine: To limit evidence in trial they deem to be prejudicial or irrelevant by the motions attorneys file.
Negligence: An owed duty breached of care causing damages/injuries.
NHP: Nevada Highway Patrol
Paralegal: A Person who assists the attorneys that are skilled in procedural aspects of lawsuits, but are not permitted to practice law.
Plaintiff: The victim, 1st party, or aggrieved party in litigation.
Phantom Vehicle Rule: Because no actual contact was made with the mystery vehicle that caused the accident, insurance provision that does not allow a 1st party to collect against his/her own insurance coverage.
Premises Liability: A body of law focused on occurrences on property or land, such as slipping, tripping, and falling cases.
Recklessness: A known risk encountering and disregarding.
Salvage Value: The remaining value on a vehicle once deemed to be totaled-usually sold for scrap metal.
Statute of Limitations: A limited time period whereby a party can sue.
Strict Products Liability: Body of law dealing with defectively designed, manufactured, or unreasonably dangerous goods.
Third Party Insurance: The at fault party’s coverage.
Tort Law: The body of law that deals with civil wrongs.
UM / UIM: Underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage.
Vicarious Liability: A legal notion that infers responsibility to an employer for wrongful acts of an employee.
Personal Injury Lawyers & Attorneys in Greater Las Vegas, Nevada
If you are in need of a personal injury attorney, contact Kajioka and Associates, Attorneys at Law today!