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Punitive damages
Also called exemplary damages, which are designed to punish a defendant whose behavior in causing the plaintiff's injuries was especially egregious.
Paraplegia
Complete paralysis of the lower half of the body including both legs, usually caused by damage to the spinal cord.
Compensatory damages
Which measure actual dollar-value losses for such things as medical expenses, lost income, loss of future earning capacity, etc.
Quadriplegia
Complete paralysis of the body from the neck down, usually caused by damage to the spinal cord.
Asbestos Lawsuit
Asbestos has been shown to cause a form of cancer called mesothelioma and this has produced many lawsuits agains manufacturers and users of asbestos.
Liable
Legally responsible. For example, a person may be liable for a debt, liable for an accident due to careless behavior, liable for failing do something required by a contract or liable for the commission of a crime.
Falls and Hip Fractures
Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths (Murphy 2000) and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma
Disfigurement
A technical term in workers' compensation cases for a serious and permanent scar to the head, neck, or face.
General damages
Better known as "pain and suffering" damages, which include the emotional trauma from physical injuries, pain, humiliation, etc.
Managed care
Any system that manages healthcare delivery with the aim of controlling costs. Managed care systems typically rely on a primary care physician who acts as a gatekeeper through whom the patient has to go to obtain other health services such as specialty medical care, surgery, or physical therapy.
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