Accident Terms and Definitions

Omnibus hearing
A pretrial hearing normally scheduled at the same time the trial date is established. Purpose of the hearing is to ensure each party receives (or "discovers") vital information concerning the case held by the other.

Actual Cash Value (ACV)
The value of your property, based on the current cost to replace it minus depreciation.

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

Common law
Law which derives its authority solely from usage and customs of immemorial antiquity or from the judgments and decrees of courts. also called "case law."

Pedestrian Manifestations
Those items of evidence deposited at the collision scene by the pedestrian during or following impact.

Risk assessment
The determination of the probability of failure of a component or system.

Misdemeanor
Criminal offenses less than felonies; generally those punishable by fine or imprisonment of less than 90 days in a local facility.

Frequent or unsafe lane changes
In driver test books there are laws that state what type of passing may be done acording to the yellow lines paited in the road or highway. There are some laws that regulate the distance that a lane change can be made related to an intersection.

Using cell phone
Some state have banned types of cell phone use while driving. This can be very dangerous and my be a cause of an accident.

Excessive speed & Speeding
Speeding is defined as travelling faster than the posted speed limit, or travelling too fast for the road conditions even at speeds under the posted limit.