Compensation Vs Extortion

By Author: Erica Howard
Total Articles: 1
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No one wanted to be stigmatized as an extortionist even a personal injury lawyer would not accept such notion. However, in a personal injury case such as norm can't be avoided. Biased jurors in a personal injury case can't see no difference between the concepts of compensation and extortion. For them the real reason of pursuing the case is to gain money from other person. It is also a way of displacing blame of negligence on the victim's part.

This notion has been common to victims of personal injuries because this type of case usually focus on the compensation claim that the victim or victim's family can get. It usually suffices the true meaning of justice for it is a way of shaping dollar figures from a damage. In simpler terms it has been perceived as a way of getting money.

In the first glance you can really see that it can be a form of extortion. But in the context of a personal injury it became a compensation. Reading on an article about “legalized extortion” can make a person be confused between two terms.

To clarify things let us first differentiate ...
... first the difference between compensation. In Miriam Websters Dictionary extortion is a way to obtain from a person by force, intimidation, or undue or illegal power. On the other hand a compensation is defined as something received as an equivalent for services, debt, loss, injury, suffering, lack, etc., indemnity.

As you can see extortion is illegal and compensation is legal. You are just being compensated for what you lost, for the sufferings you had and for the damages that scarred you.

Though usually the end product for both terms is money the grounds, the nature, and the process are exactly different.

These are the concepts that are not clear to some. However, personal injury claim should also be reasonable. You can't just sue and get money from a person. It has to go through the due process. And yes, you can't do it alone.

When you do it by yourself without legalities in essence, it is extortion but when it passed through some procedures it is for compensation. When you think your pain and suffering are unbearable and are worthy of pursuing to court, then you've got to find a good personal injury lawyer to back it up with legal matters.

In general, we can say that compensation and extortion might be same in getting something from somebody. However, these two varied with processes, objectives, grounds, rules and laws that govern each action of an individual or an organization. It is still a right, a lawful privilege that a person is entitled to fight for. It is a provision in the constitution that a citizen can always exercise and a lawful obligation for a wrongdoer or assault. In essence that is the purpose of law, to defy crime and to punish those who commit. And the punishment can be in several forms including jail time, compensation for the victim, and at worst extent, death.