Accident Terms and Definitions

Momentum
The mass of an object multiplied by its velocity. It is a vectored quantity with both magnitude and direction.

Failure to signal
There are laws and driving rules that instruct proper turning signals, at time a hand or a light signal is required to be used. A right hand turn may not be permited, or a turn in an intersection may be done incorectly.

Injury Rights
Regardless of who is at fault for an automobile accident, your insurance company is responsible for paying your initial medical expenses.

Raised Pavement Markers (R.P.M.)
Non-reflectorized ceramic pavement markers, also known as "Bott's Dotts", are most often used to delineate travel lane lines. Reflectorized RPM's come in many different colors and are used to delineate travel lane lines and outside boundaries.

Interrogatories
Written questions developed by one party's attorney for the opposing party.

Tripped Rollovers
NHTSA data show that 95% of single-vehicle rollovers are tripped . This happens when a vehicle leaves the roadway and slides sideways, digging its tires into soft soil or striking an object such as a curb or guardrail.

Impaired Driving
Can be alcohol or any oher substance that changes judgement while driving. Impaired driving will affect one in three Americans during their lifetimes (NHTSA 2001a).

Accident
What auto insurance is designed to cover. Accidents may be considered either at fault or not at fault. If you have at fault accidents on your driving record, your rates will be higher.

PT - Physical Therapy
the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of dysfunction caused by injuries to the soft tissue and muscles/skeleton . Treatment shall consist of therapeutic exercises, education and other modalities, such as the therapeutic use of heat, light, water, electricity, massage & more.

Choice no fault
In some state a hybrid no fault system known as " choice no fault " exists. In these states, you may choose to be insured under a strict no-fault plan, in which case you're unable to sue an at fault driver and also can't be sued if you're at fault.