[Legal Dictionary] Recovery

When you hear the term recovery in personal injury law, it refers to two things: one, a state of physical wellness achieved after an accident, and two, to obtain damages or something else through a judgment.

Recover in a physical sense means that your injuries have healed.

When it comes to personal injury law, though, you’ll hear your attorney talking about recovery differently.

Recovery in this sense means to obtain monetary damages, or financial compensation that covers medical bills, lost wages or other expenses.

An Example of Recovery in Personal Injury Law

Steve sued the driver who caused his crash, and he was able to recover $500,000 to pay his extensive medical bills.

According to Reference.com, recovery means “the obtaining of right to something by verdict or judgment of a court of law.” Personal injury lawyers also refer to an out-of-court settlement as a form of recovery, so even if you settle with an insurance company rather than go to court, the monies you get can be called recovery.