Personal Injury Terms and Definitions

Eggshell skull A hypothetical medical condition used to illustrate the idea that if you are at fault when you injure someone, you are responsible for all the consequences, whether you could have foreseen them or not. Quadriplegia Complete paralysis of the body from the neck down, usually caused by damage to the spinal cord. Disc Injury Injury to the supporting discs (cushions) located between each spinal bone. Discs that are ruptured or cracked may cause extraordinary pressure resulting in back pain. Compensatory damages Which measure actual dollar-value losses for such things as medical expenses, lost income, loss of future earning capacity, etc. 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, about a quarter by falls, and a tenth by recreational activities, particularly by diving accidents. Soft Tissue Injury Injury to the ligaments, tendons and fibers of the body that connect the skeletal bones. Mental Anguish Mental suffering. It is different from a physical injury, but may be considered in awarding damages. In some cases damages for mental anguish can be awarded even if no physical injury occured. Traumatic Brain Injury A blow or jolt to the head can result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can disrupt the function of the brain. Concussions, also called “closed head injuries,” are a type of TBI. Injury A wrong or tort. Injuries are divided into public and private; and they affect the. person, personal property, or real property. Years of Potential Life Lost Years of potential life lost (YPLL) is a measure of premature mortality. YPLL is presented for persons under 75 years of age because the average life expectancy in the United States is over 75 years.

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	Did You Know?
	There are four general types of slip and fall accidents Trip-and-fall accidents, where there is a foreign object in the walking path. Stump-and-fall accidents, where there is an impediment in the walking surface. Step-and-fall accidents, where there is an unexpected failure or hole in the walking surface Slip-and-fall accidents, in which the interface of the shoe and the floor fails Both the property owner as well as the injured person can be held to varying degrees of responsibility for an injury.