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Glossary of Medical Malpractice Law Terms
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Click on the first letter of the word from the list above to
go to the appropriate section of the glossary.
Legal Glossaries Main Page
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Percocet: A prescription pain reliever
containing oxycodone and acetaminophen. Classified in the same category as
Oxycontin, Percocet contains no more than 5mg of oxycodone.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma: A type of cancer
found in people who have been exposed to asbestos. Peritoneal mesothelioma
occurs in the peritoneum, a sac lining the abdomen, and has no known cure.
Prescription Error: A form of medical
malpractice that occurs when a patient does not receive the appropriate
medication, at the right dose, at the right time. A Florida prescription error
can often cause harm to a patient, and in some circumstances, can even lead to
death. A Florida prescription error is considered medical malpractice when a
medical professional's negligence or mistake led to patient harm.
Physical Dependence: A physiological need
for a substance, the absence of which leads to withdrawal. Physical dependence
is distinguishable from addiction in that addiction also involves mental
fixation.
Physical therapy: Therapy designed to
improve mobility and keep muscles stretched.
Plaintiff: The party who initiates a legal
action; in a personal injury lawsuit, the person who alleges that he or she has
suffered monetary damages due the negligence of another party.
Pleadings: Written documents stating the
allegations and claims of the opposing parties in a legal dispute.
Pleural mesothelioma: A type of cancer
found in people who have been exposed to asbestos. Occurs in the pleura, a sac
lining the lungs, and has no known cure.
PPA: Short for Phenylpropanolamine, a drug
which was used in many over-the-counter cold medicines and weight loss drugs.
The FDA issued a recall of PPA after a study linked it to a higher risk of
hemhorragic stroke.
Prempro: A type of hormone replacement
therapy that combines estrogen and progestin. A study that sought to determine
the effectiveness of long-term Prempro® use was halted when researchers
discovered that it led to an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke, and blood
clots.
Preponderance of evidence: The relative
weight, credit and value of the evidence presented by adversaries in a trial. In
a civil trial, the jury is charged with reaching a verdict based on this
standard, as opposed to the "reasonable doubt" standard in a criminal trial.
Professional Services: Services for which
a person is licensed, trained and qualified to perform in the capacity of a
healthcare provider.
Propulsid: A prescription heartburn
medication used to relieve the symptoms of nighttime heartburn associated with
gastroesophageal reflux disease. Propulsid was recalled by the FDA after a
report linked it to heart rhythm abnormalities and some deaths.
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