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The injury law glossary
20 terms, explained without jargon. Georgia law where it matters.
A
- Ante litem notice
- A written notice that must be sent to a city, county or the State before suing it, within strict deadlines.
B
- Bad faith
- When an insurer unreasonably refuses to pay or settle. Georgia has statutes and case law on different kinds of bad faith.
C
- Comparative fault
- Georgia reduces your recovery by your share of fault, and bars it at 50% or more.
- Contingency fee
- A fee paid as a percentage of the recovery, only if there is one. Must be in writing.
D
- Damages
- Money awarded for losses: medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering.
- Deposition
- Sworn testimony taken outside court, with a court reporter, during a lawsuit.
- Diminished value
- The drop in a vehicle’s market value after it has been in a wreck, even when repaired.
- Discovery
- The exchange of information and documents between the sides after a lawsuit is filed.
H
- Hospital lien
- A claim a hospital may file against an injury recovery for unpaid treatment.
L
- Letter of protection
- A promise to pay a medical provider from a future settlement.
- Liability coverage
- The at-fault driver’s insurance that pays for others’ injuries.
M
- MedPay
- Optional auto coverage that pays medical bills regardless of fault, up to a limit.
- Mediation
- A meeting with a neutral mediator to try to settle the case.
N
- Negligence
- Failing to use reasonable care, causing harm to someone else.
P
- Punitive damages
- Damages meant to punish willful or reckless conduct, usually capped, with exceptions.
S
- Settlement statement
- A written breakdown of the recovery, fees, costs and liens before money is paid out.
- Statute of limitations
- The deadline to file a lawsuit; two years for most Georgia injury claims.
- Subrogation
- A health plan or insurer’s right to be repaid from your recovery for what it paid.
T
- Time-limited demand
- A pre-suit settlement offer with a deadline; Georgia sets required terms for motor vehicle claims.
U
- Uninsured motorist (UM)
- Your own coverage that steps in when the at-fault driver has no or too little insurance.
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