Settlement - An agreement whereby the defendant pays the plaintiff for damages suffered. Settlements are generally reach in mediation as opposed to the court room.
Settlor - The person who sets up a trust; The grantor.
Social Host Liability - The liability of a person who furnishes free alcoholic beverages to a guest, when the guest subsequently sustains injuries or causes injury to a third party because of their intoxication.
Soft Tissue Injuries - The term
soft tissue injuries refers to the injuries such as pulled muscles, bruises, whiplash, etc. that are commonly suffered in car accidents. These injuries can range from moderate to severe and are generally tricky to diagnose since they may not show up on x-rays.
Standard of Proof or Burden of Proof - Degree of proof required in a specific kind of case to prevail. In the majority of civil cases, it is proof by a
preponderance of evidence.
Statute of Limitations - In civil law, the amount of time that a plaintiff has to file a lawsuit. In The State of Texas the
statute of limitations is generally two years with certain exceptions. Once the statute of limitations has expired there is usually nothing that the plaintiff can do. An exception would be when the plaintiff is a child in which the statute of limitations is extended to two years past the date that the plaintiff turns 18.
Stay - Court-ordered suspension of a judicial proceeding.
Strict Liability - Often applied to manufacturers or sellers of
defective products in products liability cases, strict liability is a doctrine that holds defendants liable for harm caused by their actions regardless of their intentions or lack of negligence.
Subpoena - Order to appear at a certain place and time to give testimony.
Subrogation - Subrogation is possible when a victim in an accident files a claim through their own insurance company. The insurance company will typically pay for the damages in the accident but the insurance company will then seek reimbursement from the party responsible for the accident.
Sue - The act of bringing a lawsuit.
Suit or Lawsuit - Generally, a court action brought by one, the plaintiff, against another, the defendant, seeking compensation for an injury or enforcement of a right.
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