Medical Legal Terms
Medical and treatment terminology used in personal injury cases, from diagnoses and procedures to medical evidence and expert testimony.
16 terms in this category
Aggravation of Injury
The worsening or exacerbation of a pre-existing medical condition as a direct result of a new accident or traumatic event.
Case Manager
A healthcare professional, often a registered nurse, who coordinates medical treatment, rehabilitation services, and care planning for an injured person.
Defense Medical Exam
A medical examination arranged and paid for by the defendant or their insurance company to independently evaluate the plaintiff's injuries and medical claims.
Delayed Symptoms
Injuries or medical symptoms that do not manifest immediately at the time of an accident but appear days, weeks, or even months later.
Functional Capacity Evaluation
A comprehensive series of physical tests performed by a trained evaluator to measure an injured person's ability to perform work-related and daily living tasks.
Impairment Rating
A percentage assigned by a physician that measures the degree of permanent physical impairment resulting from an injury, based on standardized medical guidelines.
Letter of Protection (LOP)
A written agreement where a personal injury attorney promises to pay a healthcare provider from the client's eventual settlement or verdict, allowing the patient to receive medical treatment without paying out of pocket.
Medical Lien
A legal claim that gives a healthcare provider the right to be repaid from a personal injury settlement or verdict for treatment they provided to an injured patient. The provider treats the patient now and gets paid later when the case resolves.
Medical Malpractice
Professional negligence by a healthcare provider whose treatment falls below the accepted standard of care, resulting in injury or death to the patient.
Medical Records Review
A detailed expert analysis of a patient's medical documentation to assess the nature and extent of injuries, the appropriateness of treatment, and the relationship between the accident and the medical conditions.
Pre-Existing Condition
A health condition or injury that existed before the accident, which may complicate proving causation but doesn't bar recovery for aggravation.
Prognosis
A medical professional's prediction about the likely course, duration, and outcome of a patient's recovery from an injury or illness.
Reasonable and Necessary
The legal standard requiring that medical treatment and expenses be both medically appropriate for the condition and charged at a fair rate to be recoverable in a personal injury claim.
Standard of Care
The degree of care and skill that a reasonably competent professional in the same field would provide under similar circumstances.
Treating Physician
The doctor who provides ongoing medical care and treatment to an injured person, as opposed to a doctor who only performs an independent examination.
X-Ray Evidence
Diagnostic imaging used to document injuries in personal injury cases. X-rays show bone fractures, dislocations, and some soft tissue abnormalities, providing objective medical evidence of harm.
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