Glossary

Medical Malpractice – When a healthcare provider fails to follow the accepted standard of care and that breach causes harm to a patient. 

Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect – Harm or injury to a resident of a long-term care facility due to negligence, mistreatment or failure to provide adequate care. 

Delay in Diagnosis Errors – A type of medical error where a condition is not identified or treated in time, causing avoidable progression of injury or illness. 

Emergency Medicine Errors – Mistakes or omissions in the emergency-department setting that lead to patient injury, such as mis-triage, misdiagnosis or delayed treatment. 

Surgical Errors – Mistakes occurring during surgery, such as wrong-site operations, retained foreign objects, or unnecessary procedures, resulting in patient harm. 

Stroke Mismanagement – Failure to promptly recognise and treat a stroke or its symptoms, leading to worse outcomes than if standard care had been applied. 

Free Case Evaluation – A no-cost initial consultation offered by the firm where potential clients can discuss their situation and determine whether the firm will proceed. 

Contingency Fee Basis – A payment structure in which the firm only collects legal fees if the client receives a settlement or verdict; there are no upfront attorney-fees. 

Statute of Limitations – The legally mandated time-limit within which a claim must be filed, after which a malpractice case may be barred. 

Pre-suit & Litigation – The stages of a case where the firm first investigates records and expert opinions (pre-suit) and then, if necessary, prepares and files formal court proceedings (litigation). 

Expert Witness – A medical specialist hired to testify and explain whether the standard of care was breached and how it caused the patient’s harm. 

Plaintiff – The party (injured person or family) who brings the lawsuit seeking compensation for harm caused by negligence.

Defendant – The healthcare provider, facility or institution alleged to have committed malpractice or neglect and against whom the claim is brought.

Damages – The monetary compensation sought in a case, which can include medical bills, lost wages, pain & suffering and future care needs.

Referring Attorney – A lawyer who sends a potential case or client to the firm for specialised medical-malpractice representation.

Personal Injury – Legal claims for harm to the body, mind or emotions (often overlapping with medical‐malpractice when health care is involved).

Wrongful Death – A claim made when a person dies as a result of negligence; survivors may seek compensation for their loss.

Case Intake – The process by which the firm receives a referral or inquiry, reviews basic facts, and decides whether to proceed with full investigation. 

Case Review – A deeper examination of medical records, experts and evidence to determine viability of litigation. 

Settlement – An agreement reached between the parties (or via insurance) to resolve a case without going to trial.

Verdict – The decision rendered by a judge or jury at the conclusion of a trial.

Hospital Negligence – When a hospital or its staff fails to provide care meeting accepted standards, resulting in patient harm. 

Medical Records Review – The process of obtaining, analysing and determining relevance of a patient’s treatment history and documentation in a malpractice claim.