Accident: An unexpected event that results in injury or damage.
Accident Report: An official document filed with authorities after an accident, detailing the events.
Adjuster: A person who investigates and assesses the value of an insurance claim.
Arbitration: A method of resolving disputes outside of court, typically involving a neutral third party.
B
Bodily Injury: Physical harm to a person, including cuts, fractures, and other injuries.
Burden of Proof: The obligation to prove one’s assertion in a legal dispute, typically resting on the plaintiff.
C
Claim: A formal request made to an insurance company or the responsible party for compensation after an accident.
Claimant: The person making a claim, usually the injured party in an accident.
Comparative Negligence: A legal principle where the fault is divided among the parties involved, reducing the claimant’s compensation.
Compensation: Financial reparation for injuries, loss, or damages.
Contributory Negligence: A situation where the injured party is partially at fault for the accident, possibly reducing their compensation.
D
Damages: The money awarded to an injured party in a lawsuit, typically for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Defendant: The party against whom a lawsuit is filed in a personal injury case.
Disfigurement: A type of injury that impacts the physical appearance of a person, often considered in compensation claims.
Duty of Care: A legal obligation to avoid causing harm to others, typically used to establish negligence.
E
Economic Loss: Financial losses, including medical bills, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses related to the injury.
Evidence: Information presented in a legal case to support or refute a claim, including photos, documents, and witness statements.
Expert Witness: A specialist, such as a doctor, who provides testimony in a personal injury case to explain complex details.
F G H I J K
F
Fault: Legal responsibility for causing an accident or injury.
Fraudulent Claim: A false claim made to gain compensation by providing deceptive or untrue information.
G
General Damages: Compensation for non-monetary damages, such as pain and suffering or loss of quality of life.
H
Hit-and-Run: An accident where the responsible driver leaves the scene without providing contact information or assisting the injured party.
Hearsay: Testimony about statements made outside of court, which is generally inadmissible as evidence.
I
Independent Medical Examination (IME): An evaluation by a neutral doctor to assess the extent of injuries in a personal injury claim.
Insurance Policy: A contract between the policyholder and insurer that outlines the terms of coverage in case of an accident.
J
Judgment: The final decision made by a court regarding the outcome of a personal injury lawsuit.
L M N O P
L
Liability: Legal responsibility for causing damage or injury, often determining who must pay compensation.
Loss of Consortium: Compensation for damages related to the loss of companionship or relationship due to an injury.
Loss of Earnings: Financial compensation for lost wages due to an inability to work after an injury.
M
Medical Expenses: Costs incurred from medical treatment due to an injury, often recoverable through a personal injury claim.
Mitigation of Damages: The obligation of the injured party to take reasonable steps to minimize the impact of their injuries.
N
Negligence: Failure to exercise the care that a reasonable person would under similar circumstances, often leading to accidents and injuries.
Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for intangible losses, such as emotional distress or pain and suffering.
O
Occupational Injury: An injury that occurs while performing duties related to employment.
Out-of-Court Settlement: An agreement between parties to resolve a dispute without going to trial.
P
Pain and Suffering: Non-economic damages for the physical and emotional distress caused by an injury.
Permanent Disability: A lasting injury that affects a person’s ability to work or function normally.
Plaintiff: The person who brings a lawsuit in a personal injury case, usually the injured party.
Police Report: An official document created by law enforcement after an accident, detailing what happened.
R S T U V
R
Rehabilitation: Medical treatment and therapy to recover from injuries sustained in an accident.
Release of Liability: A document that a claimant signs, waiving the right to pursue further legal action once a settlement is reached.
S
Settlement: An agreement between the injured party and the responsible party or insurer to resolve a personal injury claim without going to court.
Statute of Limitations: The legal deadline for filing a personal injury claim in Malaysia, typically three years from the date of the accident.
Success Fee: A fee structure where a lawyer charges a base fee, with additional fees depending on the success of the claim (legal in Malaysia, unlike contingency fees).
T
Third-Party Claim: A claim made by someone injured by another party, usually involving the at-fault driver’s insurance.
Tort: A wrongful act leading to civil legal liability, often the basis of personal injury cases.
U
Underinsured Motorist Coverage: An insurance policy that covers the policyholder if the at-fault driver doesn’t have sufficient coverage to pay for damages.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage: Insurance that compensates the policyholder when the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance.
V
Vicarious Liability: Legal responsibility of one party for the actions of another, such as an employer being liable for an employee’s actions during work.
WXYZ
W
Witness: A person who saw the accident or incident and can provide testimony about what happened.
Workers’ Compensation: Benefits paid to employees injured on the job, covering medical bills and lost wages.
Y
Yielding: The act of giving way to another vehicle to avoid an accident, important in determining fault in car accident cases.
