- glossary
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Glossary
H
Harassment
Harassment involves unwanted and intrusive behavior, potentially causing emotional distress. In a personal injury context, harassment may be explored when establishing emotional trauma or in situations involving intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Harm
Harm refers to damage or injury inflicted on a person, physically, emotionally, or financially. In personal injury law, demonstrating the existence and extent of harm is pivotal to substantiating claims and determining appropriate compensation.
Hazard
A hazard denotes a potential source of harm or adverse health effect on a person. Identifying and proving the existence of a hazard can be critical in personal injury cases involving premises liability or workplace injuries.
Hazardous Exposure
Hazardous exposure implies contact with substances or conditions that pose a threat to a person’s health or safety. Personal injury claims might explore hazardous exposure in cases related to workplace conditions, defective products, or environmental toxins.
Head Injury
Head injury pertains to any trauma to the scalp, skull, or brain, often scrutinized in personal injury cases stemming from accidents, falls, or violent acts. The implications and compensations related to head injuries can encompass both physical and cognitive aspects.
Health Care Expenses
Health care expenses involve costs incurred for medical care, a pivotal component in determining settlements or awards in personal injury cases, ensuring victims are compensated for their medical treatments and ongoing healthcare needs.
Health Care Proxy
A health care proxy is a legal document that allows an individual to appoint someone to make healthcare decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so, which can be relevant in personal injury scenarios involving incapacitation.
Health Insurance
Health insurance, while providing coverage for medical expenses, can intersect with personal injury claims in aspects related to coverage, reimbursements, and subrogation, impacting the net compensation received by the injured party.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Healthcare power of attorney designates an individual to make healthcare decisions for another person under specified circumstances. It might come into play in personal injury cases where victims are unable to communicate their healthcare wishes.
Hearing
A hearing is a legal proceeding where issues in a personal injury case may be discussed or decided before it proceeds to trial. Hearings might address motions, case management, or pre-trial matters and are fundamental in the litigation process.
Hearsay
Hearsay involves statements made outside the courtroom presented as evidence during a trial. While generally inadmissible, understanding its exceptions is crucial in navigating through evidence presentation in personal injury litigations.
Hedonic Damages
Hedonic damages refer to compensation for the loss of life’s pleasures and experiences due to an injury. In personal injury claims, hedonic damages can be pursued to compensate victims for diminished quality and enjoyment of life.
HIPAA Act
The HIPAA Act, protecting patient health information, can be pertinent in personal injury cases where medical records are required, guiding the permissible use and disclosure of health information in legal proceedings.
Hit and Run
A hit and run incident, where an individual causes an accident and leaves the scene without providing requisite information or aid, can influence personal injury claims and compensations, especially in auto accident scenarios.
Hospital Lien
A hospital lien allows healthcare providers to claim a portion of a personal injury settlement or award to cover the costs of care provided to the victim, ensuring recovery of expenses when compensation is received.
Hostile Witness
A hostile witness, whose testimony is adverse to the presenting party, might be declared as such in personal injury trials to utilize particular examination techniques, ensuring accurate and fair elucidation of facts.
Household Services
Household services involve daily domestic tasks. In a personal injury context, compensation claims might encompass the diminished capacity or inability of an injured individual to perform household services, affecting quality of life.
Household Services Damages
Household services damages provide compensation for the loss or cost of services that an injured individual can no longer perform, like chores or maintenance, ensuring the financial implications of such losses are addressed in settlements.
Human Factors Expert
A human factors expert evaluates factors like human behavior and performance in understanding accidents or product usability, potentially elucidating liability and causation in personal injury cases.
Hypothetical Question
Hypothetical questions, posed to expert witnesses in trials, present a constructed scenario for the expert to opine on, assisting in elucidating complex issues in personal injury cases without direct testimony about specific occurrences.