Client Resources - Personal Injury

General Legal Terminology

Attorney: An individual licensed to practice law.

Claim: Asserting a right in federal or state court that is the result of certain occurrences or facts which give rise to an action enforceable at law.

Contingency Fees: Payment based upon or dependent upon a party’s successful resolution of the matter. These fees are generally based upon a certain percentage of the gross recovery

Defendant: A person, company or entity against whom someone brings a lawsuit.

Discovery: The process by which parties learn or uncover information regarding a lawsuit through written questions, “interrogatories” and oral depositions before trial.

Liability: The finding of a parties fault.

Litigation: A lawsuit or the process by which a lawsuit is carried out, generally in a court of law.

Medical Malpractice: A physician’s deviation from the applicable standard of care which a similar physician would exercise under the same circumstances.

Negligence: A deviation from the standard of care that a reasonably prudent person would have exercised under the same circumstances.

Personal Injury: When a person is wrongfully injured by the negligent or intentional conduct of a wrongdoer.

Plaintiff: The person or family, estate or guardian of a person injured who brings a lawsuit against a defendant.

Premises Liability: Liability of landowners or those who are responsible for maintaining the property for activities or conditions occurring on the land.

Product Liability: Liability of a manufacturer or seller of a defective product for any injuries or damages suffered as a result of the defective product.

Settlement: Prior to a verdict at trial, all parties agree to “settle” the lawsuit in favor of accepting an agreement made outside of court, usually in the form of money.

Tort Law: An area of law that provides a remedy to all parties who are injured as a result of a civil wrong.

Verdict: Latin for a true declaration. The formal decision or finding of a jury or a judge. A verdict, if in favor of the plaintiff, also includes the amount to which the plaintiff is entitled.

Wrongful Death: When a person’s death is caused by the negligent or intentional act of a wrongdoer.

Urban & Burt, LTD. Client Recoveries

Plaintiff rear ended while stopped on I-80 for construction by “Distracted” driver, air-lifted to trauma center $100,000 (policy) paid plus $52,000 underinsured policy paid.

Workers comp award of $77,985 for back injury at furniture store from lifting furniture.

$100,000 settlement paid for child injured on bicycle who was struck by car while in crosswalk.

Young mother awarded $38,000 by jury for back sprain caused by rear end collision.

Wrongful death of senior who was passenger in a car. Death Caused by driver distracted using cell phone. Drivers insurance carrier paid $50,000 policy limit. Additional $300,000 policy limit recovered from plaintiff’s underinsured motorist policy for decedents’ estate.

Illinois Industrial Commission awarded $230,000 after trial for injury to cervical spine lifting at work.

Work injury of Meniscal and ACL tears, surgery, while putting tarp on truck $115,000 paid by workers compensation insurance carrier.

High school student awarded $30,000 for partial meniscus tear for injury sustained on school bus which was struck by car.

Client hit by uninsured driver under the influence of alcohol and drugs on Interstate I-80. Client required surgery to his back. Surgery was fully paid by his health and welfare benefits fund. Uninsured Motorist Policy paid an additional $230,000 to plaintiff.

Slip and fall at grocery store settled for $150,000 hit head, and sustained disruption of ACL Knee injury.

Dental malpractice where dentist caused injury to nerve while doing dental implant settled for $20,000 just before start of Federal Court trial.

Passenger suffers broken wrist in car accident $72,500 paid by insurance company.

Estate of elderly immigrant struck and killed by snow plow clearing grocery store parking lot receives insurance policy limit of $500,000.

Client received injury to foot while getting pedicure settled for $20,000

Landlord failed to properly maintain apartment causing a portion of the drywall ceiling to fall on tenant. Tenant received $125,000 as a result of injury to his shoulder.

$1 million paid by trucking company for multi car accident on I-294. Jaws of Life used to cut out two passengers from car.

In excess of $1 million paid by Japanese auto maker to settle case of college student who suffered abdominal injury caused by defective design of seatbelt. Insurance company for at fault driver who crossed center line causing accident paid their policy limit of $200,000.

Client tripped in hole in floor at work and suffered labrum tear and tendon tear $65,000 paid by workers comp insurance carrier.

Elderly lady hit by truck in church parking lot sustained bruises $20,000 settlement paid by drivers’ insurance company.

Client receives $750,000 for eye injury caused by exploding Takata airbag.

High school girl bullied and assaulted by classmate. Parents and insurance company paid $25,000 settlement.

Plaintiff recovers $150,000 for back injury sustained when she was hit by grocery store employee moving shopping carts in grocery store parking lot.

$105,000 paid to employee who was pulling a pallet at work and sustained medial meniscus tear.