Ohio Code 2307.011 – Civil action definitions
As used in Chapters 2307. and 2315. of the Revised Code:
Terms Used In Ohio Code 2307.011
- Another: when used to designate the owner of property which is the subject of an offense, includes not only natural persons but also every other owner of property. See Ohio Code 1.02
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(A) “Conduct” means actions or omissions.
(B) “Contributory fault” means contributory negligence, other contributory tortious conduct, or, except as provided with respect to product liability claims in section 2307.711 of the Revised Code, express or implied assumption of the risk.
(C) “Economic loss” means any of the following types of pecuniary harm:
(1) All wages, salaries, or other compensation lost as a result of an injury, death, or loss to person or property that is a subject of a tort action, including wages, salaries, or other compensation lost as of the date of a judgment and future expected lost earnings;
(2) All expenditures for medical care or treatment, rehabilitation services, or other care, treatment, services, products, or accommodations incurred as a result of an injury, death, or loss to person that is a subject of a tort action, including expenditures for those purposes that were incurred as of the date of a judgment and expenditures for those purposes that, in the determination of the trier of fact, will be incurred in the future because of the injury, whether paid by the injured person or by another person on behalf of the injured person;
(3) All expenditures of a person whose property was injured or destroyed or of another person on behalf of the person whose property was injured or destroyed in order to repair or replace the property;
(4) Any other expenditures incurred as a result of an injury, death, or loss to person or property that is a subject of a tort action, except expenditures of the injured person, the person whose property was injured or destroyed, or another person on behalf of the injured person or the person whose property was injured or destroyed in relation to the actual preparation or presentation of the claim involved.
(D) “Intentional tort claim” means a claim alleging that a tortfeasor intentionally caused or intentionally contributed to the injury or loss to person or property or the wrongful death or that a tortfeasor knew or believed that the injury or loss to person or property or the wrongful death was substantially certain to result from the tortfeasor’s conduct. As used in sections 2307.22, 2307.711, and 2315.32 of the Revised Code, “intentional tort claim” does not include an intentional tort claim alleged by an employee or the employee’s legal representative against the employee’s employer and that arises from the tortfeasor’s conduct that occurs on premises owned, leased, or supervised by the employer.
(E) “Noneconomic loss” means nonpecuniary harm that results from an injury, death, or loss to person that is a subject of a tort action, including, but not limited to, pain and suffering; loss of society, consortium, companionship, care, assistance, attention, protection, advice, guidance, counsel, instruction, training, or education; mental anguish; and any other intangible loss.
(F) “Person” has the same meaning as in division (C) of section 1.59 of the Revised Code and additionally includes a political subdivision and the state.
(G) “Persons from whom the plaintiff does not seek recovery in this action” includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) Persons who have entered into a settlement agreement with the plaintiff;
(2) Persons whom the plaintiff has dismissed from the tort action without prejudice;
(3) Persons whom the plaintiff has dismissed from the tort action with prejudice;
(4) Persons who are not a party to the tort action whether or not that person was or could have been a party to the tort action if the name of the person has been disclosed prior to trial.
(H) “Plaintiff” includes the person for whom the plaintiff is legal representative.
(I) “Political subdivision” and “state” have the same meanings as in section 2744.01 of the Revised Code.
(J) “Tort action” means a civil action for damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property. “Tort action” includes a product liability claim, as defined in section 2307.71 of the Revised Code, and an asbestos claim, as defined in section 2307.91 of the Revised Code, but does not include a civil action for damages for a breach of contract or another agreement between persons.
(K) “Trier of fact” means the jury or, in a nonjury action, the court.