Glossary of Nursing Home Abuse Law Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

Click on the first letter of the word from the list above to go to the appropriate section of the glossary. Contact us if you would like more information about personal injury law terms.

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Damages: Money payment recovered in the courts for an injury or loss caused by an unlawful act or omission or negligence of another.

Decedent: A deceased person.

Deductible: The dollar amount a person covered under a health plan must pay before the insurance plan begins to pay.

Defendant: In civil law the party defending a lawsuit; the party against whom the plaintiff seeks to recover damages from.

Deficiency: The federal government issues a deficiency to a nursing home when it fails to meet a federal regulation. State governments can also issue deficiencies when a nursing home fails to meet a state requirement.

Dehydration: This serious medical condition occurs when a person's loss of bodily fluid is more than his or her intake of fluid.

Dementia: The irreversible deterioration of mental faculties with emotional disturbance resulting from organic brain disorder.

Deposition: Testimony of a witness taken under oath, which is used in the discovery process of trial preparation.

Diagnosis: The specific name for a person's medical problem.

Direct Evidence: Generally, eyewitness evidence.

Discharge Planning: The procedure used by a health-care professional or social worker to determine the needs of a patient moving from one level of care to another, such as a move from a hospital to a nursing home.

Dual Eligibles: People entitled to Medicare and also eligible for Medicaid.

Durable Medical Equipment: Reusable medical equipment ordered by a physician for a person to use in a nursing home. Examples include wheelchairs, walkers, and hospital beds.

Duty: An obligation to conform to a particular standard of care which is considered reasonable by most.

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