In a negligence lawsuit, who is the injured party referred to as?

In a negligence lawsuit, the injured party is referred to as the plaintiff. This term specifically denotes the individual or entity that brings the lawsuit to court, claiming to have suffered harm due to the actions or inactions of another party. By filing the lawsuit, the plaintiff seeks compensation for the damages they have incurred, thus initiating the legal process.

In legal terminology, the defendant is the party being accused or sued, while the claimant often refers to someone making a formal request for a benefit, which can sometimes be used interchangeably with plaintiff, but is less common in the context of lawsuits. The adjudicator, typically a judge or jury, is the entity that evaluates the case and makes a ruling based on the evidence presented. Therefore, the correct designation for the injured party initiating a negligence lawsuit is plaintiff, as this directly reflects their role in the legal proceedings.