Comparisons
Accident claim comparisons
Insurers and lawyers use pairs of terms that sound alike but can change what you're paid or what you have to prove. Each comparison sets the two side by side and explains what the difference means for your claim.
Fault and insurance
Fault vs no-fault insurance
Whose insurer pays first after a crash, and when you're allowed to sue the other driver.
Comparative vs contributory negligence
What happens to your claim if you were partly to blame.
Actual cash value vs replacement cost
Why the insurer's figure for your car or belongings may be lower than you expect.
Money and damages
Economic vs non-economic damages
Bills and lost wages on one side, pain and loss of enjoyment on the other.
General vs special damages
The UK and Canadian names for the two parts of an injury claim.
Process and decisions
Insurance claim vs lawsuit
When dealing with the insurer is enough and when a court claim makes sense.
Settlement vs trial
A certain amount now or the chance of more, with the risk of less.
Mediation vs arbitration
Two ways to settle a dispute outside a courtroom, and which one binds you.
Lawyer vs self-representation
What you save and what you risk by handling the claim yourself.
Injuries and accidents
Rear-end vs head-on collision
How fault, typical injuries and evidence differ between the two crashes.
Slip and fall vs trip and fall
Why a wet floor and an uneven step lead to different arguments about who is responsible.
Whiplash vs concussion
Symptoms, diagnosis and how each is treated in a claim.