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Glossary of Personal Injury Law Terms
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Legal Glossaries Main Page
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Fact Question: Issues in a trial or hearing
concerning facts and how they occurred, as opposed to
questions of law. Fact questions are for the jury to
decide, unless the issues are presented in a non-jury or
bench trial, in which case the judge would decide fact
questions. Questions of law are decided by a judge.
Findings of fact are generally non-appealable, while
rulings on questions of law are subject to appeal.
Family Allowance: A small amount of money set
aside from the estate of the deceased. Its purpose is to
provide for the surviving family members during the
administration of the estate.
Family Practitioner: A physician who has a
general health care practice and no specialization.
Felony: Crimes of a graver or more serious
nature than misdemeanors.
Fiduciary: A person having a legal
relationship of trust and confidence to another and
having a duty to act primarily for the others benefit,
e.g., a guardian, trustee, or executor.
File: To place a paper in the official custody
of the clerk of court/court administrator to enter into
the files or records of a case.
Final Receipt: In a workers' compensation
case, it's the form presented by the insurance carrier
for the injured employee's signature so that benefits
will stop upon return to work.
Final Judgment: The written ruling on a
lawsuit by the judge who presided at trial. This
completes the case unless it is appealed to a higher
court. Also called a final decree or final decision.
Finding: Formal conclusion by a judge or
regulatory agency on issues of fact. Also, a conclusion
by a jury regarding a fact.
First Appearance: The initial appearance of an
arrested person before a judge to determine whether or
not there is probable cause for his or her arrest.
Generally the person comes before a judge within hours
of the arrest. Also called initial appearance.
First Party Benefits: In insurance law, first
party benefits include medical benefits, income loss
benefits, accidental death benefit, funeral benefit, and
extraordinary medical benefits. In Pennsylvania, the
only required coverage is $5,000 in medical benefits.
Fracture: A break or crack in a bone.
Fraud: False and deceptive statement of fact
intended to induce another person to rely upon and, in
reliance thereof, give up a valuable thing he or she
owns or a legal right he or she is entitled to.
Full Tort Option: In Pennsylvania, purchasers
of motor vehicle insurance can choose "full
tort," which gives the insured the unrestricted
right to seek money damages for all injuries sustained
in an accident caused by another driver, including
economic loss, pain and suffering and other non-monetary
damages. Compare with limited tort option.
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