Legal Terms "P"

Party: A person, business, or government agency actively involved in a legal proceeding.

Payoff: This is a semi-derogatory term referring to the amount of money that an insurance adjuster will offer an accident victim for their injuries in order to settle the claim prematurely. The primary problem with accepting this payment is that the insurance adjuster offers it so early in the process that the accident victim does not have time to evaluate their condition or injures. By accepting this payoff you will most likely sign away the right to sue if your condition worsens. You should never accept a payoff without first talking to an experienced attorney.

Personal Injury: A personal injury is categorized as any type of injury that is sustained as the result of the actions of inaction of others.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP): A specific element of a motor vehicle insurance policy that covers injury related damages (as opposed to property damages) In The State of Texas your insurance company is required to offer PIP to you unless you specifically elect to decline such coverage.

Personal Property: Tangible and intangible physical property. This does not include property such as land or rights in land.

Petition: A formal complaint to the court.

Petitioner: The person filing a petition.

Physical Impairment: A form of damages that refers to any type of physical limitations that a plaintiff suffers as a result of an accident or other incident. For example, if the victim can no longer open and close their hand or throw a baseball.

Physical Pain and Suffering: A form of damages that refers to the pain and discomfort that the plaintiff suffers as a result of the actions of the defendant.

Plaintiff: The victim in an accident.

Plead: A defendant's formal answer to a plaintiff's complaint.

Pleadings: The written statements of fact and law filed by the parties to a lawsuit.

Policy Limits: The maximum amount that can be recovered from an insurance policy.

Power of Attorney: Written document authorizing an individual to take certain legal actions on behalf of another.

Precedent: Decision by a court that provides an example for later cases involving a similar question of law.

Premises Liability: Premises liability is a cause of action that effectively states that a plaintiff suffered as a result of the actions or inaction of the owner or operator of a premises. Such cases usually require an experienced premises liability lawyer For example, a house, a building, a baseball field, etc.

Preponderance of the Evidence: The amount of evidence needed for a plaintiff to win in a civil action.

Privileged Communication: Statement protected from forced disclosure in court. The statement was made within a "protected" relationship such as attorney/client.

Products Liability: Area of the law involving the liability of manufacturers and sellers of dangerous or faulty goods or products.

Promulgate: To officially announce.

Pro Bono: (Latin: "for the good") Used to describe the provision of services free of charge.

Property Damages: The damages suffered in an accident or other incident that are not related to the injury portion. For example, the damage caused to your vehicle in an automobile damages.

Proximate Cause: The primary cause that produces the injury, and without which, the accident could not have happened.

Punitive Damages: A sum of money that a Jury may order a defendant to pay to a plaintiff in order to punish the defendant for their involvement in an accident or other incident.

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