Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 22 > Chapter 5 > Part IV - Claims Adjusters

• Adjuster: means an individual who investigates or adjusts losses on behalf of an insurer as an independent contractor or as an employee of:

              (a) An adjustment bureau;

              (b) An association;

              (c) A property and casualty producer;

              (d) An independent contractor;

              (e) An insurer; or

              (f) A managing general agent. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1661

• Agency: means and includes the boards, commissions, departments, agencies, offices, officers, and other instrumentalities, or any or all of these, within the executive branch of state government which are abolished by this Title or which are transferred and placed within departments of the state government created and established or continued by this Title or transferred to and placed within the office of the governor as provided by this Title. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 36:3
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• automated claims adjudication system: means a preprogrammed computer system designed for the collection, data entry, calculation and system generated final resolution of consumer electronic products insurance claims which:

              (i) May be utilized only by a licensed adjuster or licensed producer, or supervised individuals operating pursuant to this Paragraph;

              (ii) Must comply with all claims payment requirements of the Louisiana Insurance Code; and

              (iii) Must be certified as compliant with this Section by a licensed adjuster that is an officer of a licensed business entity under this Chapter. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1662

• Business entity: means a corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or other legal entity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1661
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
• Deputy secretary: means the officer authorized to be appointed by the secretary to serve as his principal administrative assistant. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 36:3
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Fingerprints: means an impression of the lines on the finger taken for purpose of identification. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1661
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Home state: means the District of Columbia and any state or territory of the United States in which the adjuster's principal place of residence or principal place of business is located. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1661
• Individual: means a natural person. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1661
• Insurer: means any type of insurer, whether authorized or unauthorized, conducting business in this state. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1661
• Inter vivos: Transfer of property from one living person to another living person.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Office: means each principal operational unit within a department, except the executive office of the secretary. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 36:3
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: means an individual or a business entity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1661
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Secretary: means the officer appointed by the governor as the executive head and chief administrative officer of certain departments created and provided for by this Title. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 36:3
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Undersecretary: means the officer designated to direct and be responsible for the functions of the office of management and finance of certain departments. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 36:3
• Uniform business entity application: means the current version of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Uniform Business Entity Application for resident and nonresident business entities. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1661
• Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.