Oregon Injuries Definition

Legal and insurance terms explained plainly

A bulging disc is a spinal disc that pushes outward beyond its normal edge. Each part matters. A "disc" is the cushion between the bones of the spine. "Bulging" means the outer...

DEFINITION 2026-03-29

cauda equina syndrome

People often confuse sciatica with cauda equina syndrome, but they are not the same. Sciatica usually means irritation or compression of a single nerve root, causing pain that...

DEFINITION 2026-03-26

cervical strain

Like a rope that has been pulled too hard and left frayed, the muscles and tendons in the neck can stretch beyond their normal limits and become painful, tight, and inflamed. A...

DEFINITION 2026-03-26

closed head injury

Insurance companies and defense lawyers often use this label to make a head injury sound minor: no skull fracture, no visible wound, maybe no dramatic scan finding, so they...

DEFINITION 2026-03-25

compound fracture

A broken bone that pierces the skin. "Broken bone" means the bone has cracked, split, or snapped enough to lose its normal structure. "Pierces the skin" is the part that makes...

DEFINITION 2026-03-25

CRPS

You might see this in a medical chart, an IME report, or a letter from an insurer: "possible CRPS," "rule out CRPS," or "findings consistent with CRPS." It means Complex...

DEFINITION 2026-03-25

Discovery Rule

Everyone says the clock starts running the day a medical mistake happens, but actually Oregon's discovery rule can delay the deadline until the patient knew, or reasonably...

DEFINITION 2026-03-21

EMG

Not a scan, and not the same thing as an X-ray, CT, or MRI. An EMG is a test that measures how muscles and the nerves controlling them are working. Short for electromyography,...

DEFINITION 2026-04-03

fibromyalgia after trauma

The part that trips people up most is that severe, ongoing pain can be real even when an X-ray, MRI, or blood test looks normal. Fibromyalgia after trauma means a person...

DEFINITION 2026-04-01

functional capacity evaluation

What can you actually do after an injury, and what are you just saying you can do? A functional capacity evaluation is a structured test, usually done by a physical or...

DEFINITION 2026-03-22

Glasgow Coma Scale

A low score here can change the value of an injury claim fast, because insurers and defense lawyers often treat it as shorthand for how serious a brain injury was in the first...

DEFINITION 2026-03-30

herniated disc

You just got a letter that says an MRI showed a herniated disc after a crash or lifting injury. That means one of the rubbery discs between the bones of the spine has been...

DEFINITION 2026-04-02

internal fixation

Miss this phrase in your records after a bad fracture, and you may underestimate how serious the injury was, what recovery will cost, and how aggressively an insurer may try to...

DEFINITION 2026-03-27

laminectomy

You just got a letter that says your doctor is recommending a laminectomy, and suddenly the paperwork sounds scarier than the injury. A laminectomy is back or neck surgery...

DEFINITION 2026-03-24

lane filtering

A lot of money can turn on whether a rider was using the road legally. If an insurer can paint a motorcycle maneuver as reckless, it may try to cut off damages, shift...

DEFINITION 2026-03-23

left-turn accident

You'll usually see it in a crash report, insurance letter, or lawyer email as something like: "Vehicle 1 made a left turn across the path of Vehicle 2." Strip away the...

DEFINITION 2026-03-22

meniscus tear

A meniscus tear is a rip in the rubbery cartilage inside the knee that cushions the joint and helps keep the thighbone and shinbone moving smoothly. Each knee has two menisci,...

DEFINITION 2026-03-24

MRI vs CT scan

Getting the right scan can affect both your medical bills and how strong your injury claim looks. If a doctor orders a CT first and an MRI later, that usually means they were...

DEFINITION 2026-03-31

nerve conduction study

What trips people up most is that a nerve conduction study is not the same thing as an MRI, and it usually is not the same thing as an EMG either, even though doctors often...

DEFINITION 2026-03-29

occupational disease

Recent Oregon workers' compensation updates have not changed the basic rule: this is not just any sickness or physical problem that shows up while you have a job. A cold, the...

DEFINITION 2026-03-21

permanent partial disability

You usually see this in a claim closure letter, a doctor's report, or a benefits notice saying you were awarded a certain percentage or number of degrees for lost function....

DEFINITION 2026-03-22

post-concussion syndrome

You may have seen this phrase in an ER discharge note, a neurologist's report, a workers' comp letter, or after someone says, "The scan was normal, so you should be over it by...

DEFINITION 2026-03-26

PTSD

Why am I still reacting like the danger is happening right now? PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a mental health condition that can develop after a terrifying or...

DEFINITION 2026-03-28

radiculopathy

You might see this in an MRI report, an urgent care note, or a doctor's letter that says something like "cervical radiculopathy" or "lumbar radiculopathy." That usually means a...

DEFINITION 2026-03-23

residual functional capacity

You usually see it buried in a doctor's note, a disability form, a workers' comp file, or a letter saying you can do "sedentary work," "light work," or only certain tasks....

DEFINITION 2026-03-22

soft tissue injury

Why does everything hurt when the X-ray looks "normal"? Usually because the damage is in the body's soft tissues - muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and other connective...

DEFINITION 2026-03-31

subluxation

Not a full dislocation. That is the mistake people make most often. A subluxation is a partial loss of normal joint alignment: the bones shift out of place, but not completely....

DEFINITION 2026-03-28

traumatic brain injury

Insurance companies and defense lawyers often try to shrink these cases by calling them a "mild concussion," blaming symptoms on stress, lack of sleep, or a prior condition,...

DEFINITION 2026-03-30

whiplash

Miss this word after a crash or hard jolt, and a neck injury can be brushed off as "just soreness" until the pain gets worse, movement tightens up, and medical records no...

DEFINITION 2026-03-26