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Definitions for Common Terms Used in a California Personal Injury Case

When you work with Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas on a personal injury case in California, we’re always happy to explain every aspect of the proceedings. However, many of our clients see lots of terms being used and wonder what they mean. Here are some simple definitions of the terms you’ll commonly see when involved in a personal injury case. Are there other terms you don’t understand? Call Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for help with your case.

Personal injury

First and foremost, it’s important to understand what is meant by “personal injury.” Essentially, it’s a term that applies to any injury to the body, mind, or emotions of a person. Generally, a personal injury lawsuit comes up when someone is injured as a result of another person being negligent, reckless, or careless.

Duty of care

Different people with different relationships to each other have different duties of care. Essentially, duty of care refers to how much responsibility or obligation a particular person has to care for another person or to protect them from harm that’s avoidable and not necessary. For example, a doctor has a different duty of care than does a person who owns a construction company.

Breach

When one person doesn’t maintain their duty of care that’s bestowed to them based on their position or job, then they’ve committed a breach. When it comes to personal injury cases, a breach has to be proven. Once it’s been proven that it happened, it must then be proven than the breach resulted in some type of injury or harm, whether a broken bone or emotional harm.

Harm

You may think that the word “harm” is pretty self-explanatory but it can actually be a little different in a personal injury lawsuit. In fact, at Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, it’s our job to prove that our clients were harmed and that the harm they were inflected can be cared for via financial compensation.

Causation

While it’s important to prove that a breach occurred, and that it led to harm, there’s actually another step to prove: Causation. This means that we must show that the breach directly led to the harm or injuries that our clients deal with. We use a variety of methods to prove this, via medical reports, other evidence, expert witnesses, and other methods. It all depends on the specific case we’re handling and the evidence that’s available.

Have you been injured as the result of someone else’s negligence?

The reality is that though many personal injury cases have many things in common, they are all unique. When you choose Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas as your personal injury attorney, you’re choosing an attorney who will take the time to understand the unique circumstances of your case. The process begins when you call us at 909-982-0707 for your free consultation. Call today and let’s get started!