Accidental Death– When the death of an individual is ruled to be the result of an accident and not the result of murder or suicide.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance– Policy or provision in an insurance policy that pays a specified amount or a multiple of the weekly disability benefit should the insured die, lose sight, or lose two limbs as the result of an accident. Lesser amount is payable for the loss of one eye, arm, leg, hand, or foot.

Accidental Death Insurance– Insurance that pays the beneficiary a lump sum in the event the insured dies as the result of an accident.

Arava® Lawyer– Arava was the first orally administered drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis. It is a Disease-Modifying AntiRheumatic Drug (DMARD), a class of drugs that relieves pain and slows disease progression but also carries health risks. Arava has been linked to an increased chance of liver damage vs. other DMARD drugs. Contact our law firm today if you have suffered liver damage resulting from Arava use.

Avandia® Lawyer– Avandia, or rosiglitazone, is an antihyperglycemic agent in the class of oral antidiabetic medications called thiazolidinediones (TZDs) or glitazones. These drugs are used to treat type II diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes) by combating insulin resistance. There are numerous reports of liver and biliary disorders associated with the drug, and Avandia has been linked to several cases of severe liver toxicity, most mere days or weeks after starting the drug.

Bankruptcy Lawyer– Traditional bankruptcy laws changed in October 2005, requiring people who can make some payments toward their debts to pay them, while still affording them the right to have the rest of their debts erased. A bankruptcy lawyer from our firm will help you through the complicated legal proceedings when circumstances have left you with no other option.

Baycol® Lawyer– Baycol is one of several drugs known as “statins,” which help lower the so-called “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins or LDL). It does this by promoting production of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), the “good” cholesterol that lowers the artery-clogging risk of high levels of LDL. Baycol was withdrawn from the market in August 2001. It can cause skeletal muscle damage leading to a condition called rhabdomyolysis, which can result in kidney failure and death. Contact a lawyer who handles Baycol lawsuits at our firm if you’ve suffered after taking Baycol.

Bextra® Lawyer– Bextra, a pain reliever used to treat arthritis and other painful conditions, was withdrawn from the market in April 2005 following a study that used information from several Bextra trials. The trial proposed that the use of Bextra in high-risk cardiac patients more than doubled patient risk for heart attack and stroke. A Bextra lawyer from our law firm handles cases pertaining to injury resulting from Bextra use.

Brain Injury Lawyer– An attorney specializing in accidents that result in trauma to the brain. Brain injuries can result from the negligent actions or carelessness of others and are often life-altering. Adverse physical conditions that can be caused by brain injury include speech and language difficulties, such as slurring or the inability to complete sentences; balance and difficulty walking or moving; or the inability to function independently of others.

Bridgestone/Firestone Tire Recall Lawyer– An attorney handling cases dealing with the August 9, 2000, recall of all Firestone Radial ATX and Radial ATX II tires in size P235/75R15 manufactured in North America and Mexico, and all Wilderness AT tires in size P235/75R15 produced in Decatur, Illinois.

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) Devices– Cardiac resynchronization devices are an advanced form of pacemakers; their function is to coordinate the ventricles (the main pumping chambers) of the heart to beat in an efficient, cohesive manner. Some sufferers of heart disease have ventricles that beat against one another and are incapable of producing the necessary strong muscular contractions of a healthy heart. CRT pacemakers largely alleviate this problem.

Celebrex® Lawyer– A Celebrex lawyer from our firm will help handle your case if you have suffered as a result of Celebrex use, a drug prescribed for painful conditions such as arthritis. In April 2005, the FDA required a black box warning on Celebrex calling attention to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks associated with its use.

Civil Action– A term used to describe court cases that are not criminal; lawsuits involving private parties or the government usually fall under the civil action category. Cases involving attorneys are generally civil actions.

Criminal Action– Also known as criminal trial, these cases are brought by the government against an individual for offenses to the public.

Disability Insurance Benefits– Arguably the most important Social Security Disability benefit, Disability Insurance Benefits go to individuals who have recent work history (usually you must be able to document working five out of the last 10 years) and are disabled. Benefits are then paid based upon a Social Security earning history regardless if the individual is rich or poor.

Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators (ICDs)– ICDs regulate the beating of the heart. ICDs deal with ventricular tacycardia and fibrillation – when the heart beats so fast that blood is not pumped throughout the body. This condition can also lead to cardiac arrest and death. ICDs monitor the rhythm of the heart and will deliver an electric shock directly to the heart if it begins to beat dangerously fast.

Injury Lawyer– See Personal Injury Lawyer.

Life Insurance (also known as Life Assurance)– Provides for a payment of a sum of money upon the death of the insured. The life insurance can be used as a means of investment or savings.

Meridia® Lawyer– An attorney handling cases pertaining to adverse health reactions after taking the prescription weight-loss drug Meridia.

Neurontin® Lawyer– Neurontin is a drug approved to treat epilepsy. Its manufacturer, Parke-Davis, illegally marketed the drug for various off-label uses. If you or someone you love is currently taking Neurontin for bipolar disorder, or any other mental, emotional, or behavioral condition, you should be aware that there may be no unbiased studies to justify that prescription.

Off-Label Prescriptions– Off-label use of a drug is when a drug is prescribed for uses that have not been approved by the FDA. Doctors can legally prescribe drugs for off-label uses, based upon their own experiences or the studies of other doctors, and this practice has been used for years, often with a high degree of effectiveness. However, when a pharmaceutical company promotes a drug for off-label uses, it is illegal and very dangerous.

Oxycodone Lawyer– See OxyContin Lawyer.

OxyContin® Lawyer– OxyContin is an opioid analgesic in a time-release formula that, when taken as prescribed, releases the narcotic oxycodone (its only active ingredient) to relieve pain for up to 12 hours. OxyContin users are at risk of developing an addiction to the drug, in addition to respiratory depression, a potentially fatal condition. The drug may also result in the shutdown of the cardiovascular system. An OxyContin lawyer from our firm will help protect your legal rights if you have suffered as a result of OxyContin use.

Personal Injury Attorney– See Personal Injury Lawyer.

Personal Injury Lawyer– Personal injury lawyers are individuals devoted to protecting the rights of people who have suffered as the result of a host of grievances, including: auto accident, aviation accident, birth injury, cerebral palsy, brain injury, building design defects, class action/mass torts, drug injury, defective medical device, defective product, drunk driving injury, fire and burn injury, highway design defect, insurance fraud, motorcycle accident, nursing home abuse, premises liability, truck accident, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death.

Pharmaceutical Injury– Prescription drugs, when thoroughly tested and appropriately marketed, can be hugely beneficial to patient health. Sometimes, however, these drugs are harmful and can have permanent side effects or even result in death. Contact a drug injury lawyer at our firm if you have serious health complications resulting from the use of pharmaceutical drugs.

Plaintiff– The plaintiff in a case is the person who brings a lawsuit against another person or organization. In personal injury cases, the injured person is the plaintiff and the party he or she is seeking damages from is the defendant. If the plaintiff’s case is successful, damages are usually awarded in the form of money.

Plaintiffs’ Attorney– The lawyer advocating on behalf of the party bringing the lawsuit against the defendant.

Remicade® Lawyer– Remicade is a drug prescribed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease (inflammatory bowel disease causing inflammation of the digestive tract), and ankylosing spondylitis (a chronic form of arthritis primarily affecting the spine). Cases handled by a Remicade lawyer at our firm include: serious infection, heart failure, blood problems, allergic reactions, nervous system disorders, malignancy, and liver damage. If you have suffered any of these problems after Remicade treatment, call our office for a free and confidential case evaluation.

Sexual Harassment– The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines sexual harassment as: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Social Security Disability– Social Security Disability is an insurance system designed to help with financial hardships throughout your life, not just after retirement. If you are unable to work due to a disease or injury, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits regardless of your age. Claims are not always approved, but you might have a valid case and still need the help of an attorney. Contact a Social Security Disability lawyer at our firm if you have any questions about a possible claim.

Social Security Disability Attorney– See Social Security Disability Lawyer.

Social Security Disability Fraud– When an individual dishonestly claims Social Security Disability but is not disabled. Social Security Disability fraud is illegal and detrimental to the Social Security system. If you know of anyone committing Social Security fraud, please report it to the Social Security Administration.

Social Security Disability Insurance– Social Security Disability Insurance is based on an individual’s inability to work. If a person cannot perform work he or she previously was able to and cannot adjust to other work because of the acquired medical condition(s), he or she may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance. The official site of the United States Social Security Administration suggests, “Disability is something most people do not like to think about. But the chances that you will become disabled probably are greater than you realize. Studies show that a 20-year-old worker has a three in 10 chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age.”

Social Security Disability Lawyer– An attorney with experience in the area of Social Security Disability Law who focuses on Social Security cases. Contact our law firm to speak with a Social Security Disability lawyer today.

SSRI Drugs– Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are the newest class of antidepressant drugs on the market and are prescribed to treat depression in children and in adults. SSRIs have replaced tricyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors and are thought to more reliably alleviate the feelings of despondency and helplessness associated with depression. SSRI drugs must now carry a blackbox warning, stating the possible relationship between these drugs and an increased chance of suicidal behavior. Celexa®, Lexapro®, Effexor®, Paxil®, and Luvox®are all popular SSRI drugs.

Supplemental Security Income Benefits (SSI)– Supplemental Security Income benefits, unlike Disability Insurance Benefits, are reserved for individuals of lower socioeconomic status who are also disabled; wealthy individuals do not qualify for SSI benefits.

Tort– A lawsuit brought by a plaintiff to claim damages for a wrong done to the plaintiff, regardless of whether or not the grievance was intentional or accidental. A common example of a tort lawsuit is one seeking damages for injuries sustained in an auto accident or truck accident.

Wrongful Death– When the wrongful action of one person, such as negligence, personal attack, manslaughter, or murder, results in the death of another person. Wrongful death lawsuits allege that the death in question was attributable to the willful or negligent act of another.

Arava® is a registered trademark of Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc. Baycol® is a registered trademark of Bayer Corporation. Celexa® and Lexapro® are registered trademarks of Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Effexor® is a registered trademark of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Luvox®is a registered trademark of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Meridia® is a registered trademark of Abbott Laboratories. Prozac® is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company. OxyContin® is a registered trademark of Purdue Pharma, LP. Paxil® and Avandia® are registered trademarks of GlaxoSmithKline. Remicade® is a registered trademark of Centocor, Inc. Bextra®, Celebrex®, Neurontin®, and Zoloft® are registered trademarks of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All are used here only to identify the products in question.