Glossary
Alternative Dispute Resolution/Arbitration
Or ADR for short, concerns solving a dispute outside of the court and can include arbitration, mediation, or some involvement from an ombudsman.
After-the-Event Insurance
Known as ATE, this allows people to cover themselves for the other side’s costs and expenses, should they lose their claim.
Breach
A legal term which means that someone has failed to carry out their responsibilities, or their side of the deal. This might include a car driver who has duty of care to other drivers and road users.
Before-the-Event Insurance
Known as BTE, or legal expenses insurance, this provides for the cost of making a claim and often forms a part of other insurance polices.
Conditional Fee Agreement
Or CFA, this involves an arrangement by which a lawyer works on a no-win, no fee basis, although that does not usually cover the other’ side’s costs if you lose.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
Or CICA, this is an organisation under the auspices of the Government which looks after compensation to victims of violent crime.
Civil Action/Civil Courts
Concerns the non-criminal disputes of one party over another; whereas criminal proceedings mostly relate to the state versus another party following a breaking of the law.
Claim
In effect, a demand for compensation for damages, or losses.
Claimant
The person who makes the claim.
Compensation
The amount of money claimed in recompense for an injury.
Contributory Negligence
Relevant if the actions of a person claiming were in some way a contributory factor to the accident and a good example might be a severe machine accident, which was made worse by the claimant not wearing the appropriate safety equipment.
Costs
The legal costs of bringing a claim, or defending one.
County Court
The level of court which usually deals with personal injury cases.
Defendant
The person defending a claim.
Duty of Care
A legal term for a person, or an entity, to ensure that their actions do not bring harm to anyone else.
Employers Liability
Employers are legally required to protect their workforce in the pursuit of their jobs and pay appropriate compensation should accidents occur.
Expert Witness
Offer expert opinions in order to prove, or disprove an argument in court.
General Damages
These compensate a claimant for the pain and suffering caused by damages.
Health & Safety Executive
Or HSE, is a Government body which projects people at work by monitoring conditions and enforcing relevant laws.
Industrial Disease
A disease caused by a person’s working conditions.
Interim Payments
Payment before a claim might be fully settled.
Legal Aid
Help paying legals costs for those who cannot afford legal redress. Not usually available in personal injury claims.
Legal Expenses Insurance
LEI, or BTE as it is also known, provides for the cost of making a claim and often forms a part of other insurance polices.
Liability
A legal term for responsibility.
Limitation
Refers to the length of time before your chance to make a claim for compensation lasts; usually three years, although in certain cases and situations, it can be longer.
Motor Insurers’ Bureau
Known as the MIB, this organisation pays compensation to victims involved in accidents caused by uninsured drivers, or drivers which cannot be traced.
Negligence
Failure to take due care and attention in a particular task, or job, and by doing so, causing an accident, or injury to another party.
No-win, No-fee
If you don’t win your claim, you don’t have to pay the cost of the claim. But you may have to pay the cost of the other side if you lose.
Occupational Disease
A disease caused by a person’s working conditions.
Personal Injury
Claiming for a physical, or mental injury which was caused by the fault of a negligent party.
Personal Injury Protocol
A strategy which tries to reach settlement before a court action.
Provisional Damages
A form of payment which has the provision to be increased if a person’s conditions gets worse over time and the settlement has to be adjusted accordingly.
Road Traffic Accident
Or RTA, a general term for an accident occurring on a road.
Solicitor
A legal professional who is allowed to advise clients and represent them in some courts.
Third Party
A third party is the legal term for the person being claimed against.
Tort
A legal term for a civil wrong.