Damages Cap, Debt-to-Income Ratio, Deductible, Demand Letter and more. Each definition explains what the term means and why it changes a number.
A statutory limit on the amount recoverable, most often applied to non-economic damages in medical claims.
Why it matters: A cap can slice a large verdict down after trial, which is why it belongs in the settlement calculation.
Run the birth injury claim →Monthly debt payments divided by gross monthly income, used by lenders to test affordability.
Why it matters: Clearing one small balance removes its whole minimum payment from the ratio, which is often the fastest way to qualify.
Run the debt-to-income ratio →The amount you pay on a claim before the insurer pays anything.
Why it matters: Raising it lowers the premium but only helps if the difference is genuinely available in cash when a loss happens.
Run the deductible vs premium →A written statement of your claim, damages and a specific figure, sent before litigation.
Why it matters: A demand supported by organised records is treated very differently from a phone call asking what they will offer.
Run the personal injury settlement →The reduction in an item's value for age and wear, subtracted when a claim settles on actual cash value.
Why it matters: Recoverable depreciation is released only after you prove the repair or replacement was actually completed.
Run the roof replacement & insurance claim →The rate used to convert future money into present value. A higher rate makes future payments worth less today.
Why it matters: It is the lever that decides whether a lump-sum offer for future payments is fair or predatory.
Run the structured settlement buyout →The pre-trial process where each side must disclose documents and answer questions under oath.
Why it matters: It is where most cases are actually won or lost, long before any courtroom.
Run the settlement vs trial →A fixed percentage of card sales withheld to repay a merchant cash advance.
Why it matters: It scales with revenue, which sounds flexible but tightens cash flow exactly when sales dip.
Run the business loan & credit line true cost →The summary page of a policy listing coverages, limits, deductibles and named insureds.
Why it matters: It is the one page worth reading annually, because it shows what you actually bought.
Run the uninsured motorist gap →Voluntarily transferring property title to the lender to avoid foreclosure.
Why it matters: It damages credit less than a foreclosure and can sometimes include relocation assistance.
Run the home sale net proceeds →A developer programme accepting a timeshare interest back, ending the obligation.
Why it matters: It is almost always cheaper than an exit company and should be the first call.
Run the timeshare exit cost →A court order for the balance still owed after collateral is sold for less than the debt.
Why it matters: It is why walking away from a car or home does not necessarily end the obligation.
Run the total loss settlement →The resale value a repaired vehicle permanently loses because of its accident history.
Why it matters: Most states allow it as a third-party claim, and insurers rarely offer it unprompted.
Run the diminished value claim →Laws making an establishment liable for serving alcohol to someone who then causes harm.
Why it matters: It adds a commercially insured defendant to a claim against an often uninsured drunk driver.
Run the drunk driving accident claim →The phase of a home equity line during which you can borrow and pay interest only.
Why it matters: The payment can roughly triple when it ends, which is the risk borrowers most often miss.
Run the heloc & home equity loan →The legal obligation to act with reasonable care toward others.
Why it matters: Establishing it is the first of the four elements every negligence claim must prove.
Run the personal injury settlement →