Injury and insurance terms, in plain English
Understand the words in your insurance letters, policy documents and injury claim. Search the dictionary or browse its linked definitions.
Aghabegian Law Group, P.C. · Glendale, California
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A clearer way to read injury and insurance language
Use these definitions while reading a letter, an insurance policy or our guides. The document's complete wording and the applicable law still matter.
Adjuster
A person who investigates and evaluates an insurance claim for the insurer. Their role is different from a lawyer representing you.
A simple example
Illustration: An adjuster asks for repair records while evaluating a vehicle claim.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California Department of Insurance: insurance terms
Link to this definitionCase costs
Expenses associated with pursuing a matter, separate from payment for the lawyer’s work. The fee agreement should explain responsibility for costs and their effect on recovery.
A simple example
Illustration: The closing accounting separately lists a filing expense and the attorney fee.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Contingency fee · Net recovery
California Business and Professions Code section 6147: contingency fee agreements
Link to this definitionCausation
The required connection between the conduct at issue and the harm claimed. The legal test depends on the claim; timing alone does not answer it.
A simple example
Illustration: A reviewer considers whether the incident caused a claimed injury rather than relying only on when symptoms were reported.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California Courts: personal injury cases
Link to this definitionComparative fault
Allocation of responsibility among those whose conduct caused the harm. In an ordinary California negligence case, an injured person’s proven share of responsibility reduces recoverable damages.
A simple example
Illustration: A jury considers whether both drivers contributed to the collision.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Negligence · Economic damages · Noneconomic damages
Judicial Council: CACI 3960, comparative fault of plaintiff (2024 edition) · Judicial Council: current civil jury instructions
Link to this definitionContingency fee
A lawyer’s fee that depends on a recovery, typically calculated as an agreed percentage. The written agreement explains the rate and the treatment of costs.
A simple example
Illustration: A client asks whether the fee is calculated before or after case costs.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California Business and Professions Code section 6147: contingency fee agreements
Link to this definitionDeclarations page
The policy summary identifying information such as insured vehicles, coverage limits and deductibles. Read it together with the policy and endorsements.
A simple example
Illustration: You check which vehicle and policy period appear on the summary.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Liability limits · Deductible · Medical payments coverage (MedPay)
California Department of Insurance: after an accident
Link to this definitionDeductible
The portion of a covered loss you bear before the applicable insurance payment, as the policy provides.
A simple example
Illustration: A collision repair payment is reduced by the applicable deductible.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Declarations page · Subrogation
California Department of Insurance: insurance terms
Link to this definitionDeposition
Testimony under oath taken outside the trial as part of the legal process. It is different from an ordinary conversation with an insurance adjuster.
A simple example
Illustration: A witness answers questions under oath while a record is made.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California Courts: civil discovery
Link to this definitionDiscovery
The formal process for seeking information and evidence in a lawsuit. Different methods have specific scope, notice and response requirements.
A simple example
Illustration: One party uses a document request to seek relevant photographs from another party.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California Courts: civil discovery
Link to this definitionEconomic damages
Financial losses that can be objectively verified, such as medical expenses or lost earnings. The amount recoverable still depends on the applicable law and proof.
A simple example
Illustration: Payroll records help document income lost while recovering from an injury.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Noneconomic damages · Evidence
California Civil Code section 1431.2: economic and noneconomic damages
Link to this definitionEvidence
Testimony, records, objects or other material offered to establish facts. Whether particular material can be considered in court depends on evidence rules.
A simple example
Illustration: Original scene photographs help show where vehicles were positioned.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California Courts: glossary of civil terms · California Evidence Code section 210: relevant evidence
Link to this definitionInsurance claim
A request for benefits or payment through insurance after a loss. Opening a claim is different from filing a lawsuit.
A simple example
Illustration: You receive a claim number after notifying an insurer about a collision.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Adjuster · Settlement · Statute of limitations
California Department of Insurance: insurance terms · California Courts: personal injury cases
Link to this definitionLiability limits
The maximum payable under the applicable liability coverage, subject to policy terms. Separate limits may apply per person, per accident or for property damage.
A simple example
Illustration: A policy lists separate limits for injury to one person and injury in one accident.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Declarations page · Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM)
California Department of Insurance: insurance terms
Link to this definition
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Lien or reimbursement claim
An asserted right to payment from particular funds, or to repayment of benefits previously paid. Its basis, validity and amount require review; not every medical bill is a lien.
A simple example
Illustration: Medi-Cal identifies injury-related services for possible recovery from settlement funds.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California DHCS: personal injury lien process · CMS: Medicare recovery process
Link to this definitionMedical authorization
Permission for specified health information to be used or disclosed. Scope, recipients, purpose and expiration matter; it does not ordinarily settle an injury claim.
A simple example
Illustration: A form identifies which provider may send records to a named recipient.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
U.S. HHS: HIPAA authorization requirements
Link to this definitionMedical payments coverage (MedPay)
Auto coverage for eligible medical expenses, within its limits, without requiring that the insured driver be at fault.
A simple example
Illustration: An injured passenger asks whether available MedPay covers a treatment bill.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Declarations page · Lien or reimbursement claim
California Department of Insurance: automobile coverage guide
Link to this definitionNegligence
Failure to use the care a reasonably careful person would use in the circumstances. An injury claim also requires the other necessary elements, including harm and causation.
A simple example
Illustration: A review considers both a driver’s conduct and how the injury occurred.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California Department of Industrial Relations: negligence definition · California Courts: personal injury cases
Link to this definitionNet recovery
The amount remaining for the client after applicable fees, costs and valid payments to others. Use the actual closing accounting, not the gross settlement figure.
A simple example
Illustration: A client reviews each deduction before confirming the amount available for distribution.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Contingency fee · Case costs · Lien or reimbursement claim
California Business and Professions Code section 6147: contingency fee agreements · State Bar of California: trust accounting handbook
Link to this definitionNoneconomic damages
Nonfinancial harm, such as pain, emotional distress or loss of enjoyment of life. There is no universal calculator that establishes its value.
A simple example
Illustration: A person describes how an injury changed ordinary daily activities.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Economic damages · Comparative fault
California Civil Code section 1431.2: economic and noneconomic damages
Link to this definitionSettlement
An agreement resolving some or all of a dispute. Its terms determine what is resolved, what payment is required and what obligations remain.
A simple example
Illustration: Parties resolve an injury claim through an agreement instead of a trial decision.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Settlement release · Net recovery
California Courts: reviewing an offer or agreement
Link to this definitionSettlement release
An agreement giving up the claims it covers, commonly as part of a settlement. Review its parties, scope and any treatment of unknown claims.
A simple example
Illustration: A release describes which injury claims are resolved by an agreement.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Settlement · Medical authorization
California Civil Code section 1542: general releases
Link to this definitionStatute of limitations
A legal time limit for starting a court action. The claim, parties and circumstances affect the deadline; government claims can require separate earlier action.
A simple example
Illustration: Someone asks for deadline advice before waiting for an accident report.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
California Courts: personal injury cases
Link to this definitionSubrogation
A process through which an insurer that paid a loss seeks recovery from a responsible party or insurer. It is distinct from deciding your claim’s total value.
A simple example
Illustration: After paying a vehicle claim, an insurer pursues recovery from the at-fault driver’s insurer.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Deductible · Lien or reimbursement claim
California Department of Insurance: after an accident
Link to this definitionUnderinsured motorist coverage (UIM)
Potential bodily injury coverage when the responsible vehicle’s liability limits are below the applicable uninsured motorist limits. California exhaustion requirements and payment offsets affect recovery.
A simple example
Illustration: An injured person asks how the other policy’s payment affects their UIM claim.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UM) · Liability limits
California Insurance Code section 11580.2: uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
Link to this definitionUninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UM)
Coverage for qualifying injuries caused by an uninsured driver. Eligibility, reporting duties and other conditions still apply.
A simple example
Illustration: A person checks their policy after learning the other driver had no liability insurance.
Examples are illustrations, not accounts of a client matter.
Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) · Insurance claim
California Insurance Code section 11580.2: uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
Link to this definitionPut the definitions in context
Explore annotated insurance documents · Compare an authorization and a release · Follow the settlement payment roadmap
Definitions checked against the linked official sources on September 25, 2026. This is a general educational reference for California injury questions, not a determination of your coverage or legal rights.
https://www.aaesqlaw.com/tools/injury-glossary/
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