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Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm, Houston is always interested in helping clients with their personal injury or other litigation claims. We work to educate our clients on the legal process, in order to help them fully understand their rights. At Matthews & Fullmer Law Firm we believe that you should know what you're getting into when you hire a lawyer, which is why we provide all consultations free of charge. We love to share our experiences and legal knowledge, so we compiled this list of common legal terms to help you when browsing the site -
Personal injury -Injury to the body, mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property. Most common cases of personal injury are car wrecks, medical mistakes, injuries at work and home, and injuries resulting from defective products.
Wrongful death - Wrongful death is a term normally referencing a civil claim that is brought against a person or company who is accountable and liable for causing the death of another person.
Wrongful death law - Though statutes related to wrongful death differ from state to state, they all tend to follow certain principles. Throughout the various jurisdictions, certain elements are constant in wrongful death cases:
1. The death was caused in whole or in part due to the misconduct by the defendant.
2. The defendant was negligent in the wrongful death and is therefore liable for it.
3. The victim is survived by a spouse, children or other dependents.
4. There is monetary damage as a result of the victim's death.
Negligence - Negligence involves conduct that falls beneath the standard of care established for the protection of others against the unreasonable risk of harm.
Product liability - The concept of products liability allows a consumer to recover for harm caused by a defective product. It is traditionally required that a plaintiff prove that (1) the injury or harm resulted from the defective product and (2) that the product was in fact defective when it left the hands of the manufacturer.
Statute of limitations – A statute of limitations sets forth the maximum time after an event or injury that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated. Although limitations periods vary state to state, it is important to take immediate action to preserve your claim and to ensure that it is timely filed.
Medical malpractice - When someone suffers an injury as a result of medical negligence or medical mistake, he must prove by evidence that the injury was caused by conduct of a healthcare provider that fell beneath the standard of care for that provider.
Benzene -Benzene is a versatile industrial chemical. It is a natural component of crude and refined petroleum products. Benzene is used primarily as a raw material in the manufacture of synthetic organic chemicals.
FDA - Food and Drug Administration; the FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety drugs, biological products, medical devices, the nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.
FELA - The FELA stands for the Federal Employer’s Liability Act and is a special Federal Law governing injuries to and deaths of railroad workers which occur while they are working for a railroad.
Tort - A tort is an act that injures someone in some way, and for which the injured person may sue the wrongdoer for damages. Legally, torts are called civil wrongs, as opposed to criminal ones.
Civil law suit - A civil suit is a lawsuit in which the plaintiff claims that the defendant's actions or negligence caused losses and/or suffering, or damages. Through a civil suit, the plaintiff seeks money from the defendant for her losses.
Reasonable person standard - When determining civil responsibility, the reasonable person standard is often applied. The reasonable person standard is an objective test comparing the defendant's actions to a reasonable person's actions under the same or similar circumstances. People with specialty skills are held to a higher standard of care – doctors, for example – than an ordinary person.
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