Arbitration – an alternative structure, outside of the court system, to resolve a case in which both sides of the case present arguments to an attorney or retired judge who decides the case

Complaint – a written document submitted to the court that starts the litigation process, explaining an injured person’s reasons for bringing a case and requesting justice

Contingency Fee – an arrangement for attorney’s fees where an attorney is paid at the end of the case and receives a percentage of the money recovered

Counsel & Opposing Counsel – the attorney who represents a person in court and the attorney representing the other side

Damages – the harms caused to an injured person for which they can recover money, such as medical bills, wage loss, pain and suffering, and loss of normal life

Defendant – a person or entity being sued by an injured person

Deposition – a formal question and answer session of a person under oath outside of court as part of the information gathering phase of a case

Discovery – the information gathering phase of a case where both sides exchange and obtain evidence to use at trial

Evidence – the proof, such as photographs, medical records and testimony, gathered and presented by either side to use at trial to convince the judge or the jury

Hearing – a formal meeting to decide issues in a case that can take place through the court system or arbitration 

Insurance Claims Adjuster – an insurance company employee who reviews a case and decides the amount of money the insurance company is willing to pay an injured person

Lawsuit – a legal action brought in the court system by an injured person against another person or entity that will be decided in court

Litigation – the process of resolving a dispute through the court system or arbitration 

Mandatory Arbitration Hearing – a proceeding similar to a mini-trial that the court system sometimes requires to try and resolve the dispute between the two sides of a lawsuit

Mediation – a process to resolve a dispute in which both sides discuss the dispute with a trained impartial third person, such as a retired judge, in an effort to reach a settlement 

Medical Lien – an agreement between a patient and the patient’s medical provider, similar to an IOU note, that allows for the patient to receive medical care right away and for the medical provider to be paid at the end of the case directly from the money recovered

Party – either side of a legal action brought through the court system or arbitration 

Plaintiff – the injured person who brings a lawsuit against another person or entity 

Pretrial – a process to resolve a dispute in which both sides discuss their dispute with a judge in the court system in an effort to reach a settlement

Statute of Limitations – a deadline imposed by law that limits the amount of time a person has to begin a legal action in the court system 

Testimony – the oral evidence given by a witness under oath at deposition or trial 

Trial – a legal process through the court system where each side presents the case to a judge or jury who reach a decision, called a verdict, about the dispute 

Witness – a person with personal knowledge about certain aspects of a case such as an accident, a person’s injuries or complicated concepts requiring expertise