Terms Used In Tennessee Code > Title 50 > Chapter 6 - Workers' Compensation Law

• Active and in good standing as reflected in the records of the secretary of state: means a corporation, limited liability company, or partnership that is in existence, registered or authorized to transact business in this state as reflected in the records of the secretary of state. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Administrator: means the chief administrative officer of the bureau of workers' compensation of the department of labor and workforce development. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• AMA guides: means the 6th edition of the American Medical Association Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, American Medical Association, until a new edition is designated by the general assembly in accordance with §. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• 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.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• 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
• Arbitrator: means an individual appointed to render an award, alone or with others, in a controversy that is subject to an agreement to arbitrate. See Tennessee Code 29-5-302
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Association captive insurance company: means an association captive insurance company described in §. See Tennessee Code 50-6-701
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Average weekly wages: means the earnings of the injured employee in the employment in which the injured employee was working at the time of the injury during the period of fifty-two (52) weeks immediately preceding the date of the injury divided by fifty-two (52). See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Board: means the board of directors of the competitive state compensation insurance fund. See Tennessee Code 50-6-602
• Board: means the state board for licensing contractors. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• Case management: means medical case management or the ongoing coordination of medical care services provided to an injured or disabled employee on all cases where medical care expenses are expected to exceed a threshold. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Code: includes the Tennessee Code and all amendments and revisions to the code and all additions and supplements to the code. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Commercial construction project: means any construction project that is not:
  (A) The construction, erection, remodeling, repair, improvement, alteration or demolition of one (1), two (2), three (3) or four (4) family unit residences not exceeding three (3) stories in height or accessory use structures in connection with the residences. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of labor and workforce development. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Construction design professional: means :
  (A) Any person possessing a valid registration or license entitling that person to practice the technical profession of architecture, engineering, landscape architecture or land surveying in this state. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Construction project: means the construction, erection, remodeling, repair, improvement, alteration or demolition of a building, structure or other undertaking. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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.
• Court: means a court of competent jurisdiction in this state. See Tennessee Code 29-5-302
• Credit bureau: An agency that collects individual credit information and sells it for a fee to creditors so they can make a decision on granting loans. Typical clients include banks, mortgage lenders, credit card companies, and other financing companies. (Also commonly referred to as consumer-reporting agency or credit-reporting agency.) ^{Source: OCC}
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means the department of labor and workforce development. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• 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.
• Direct labor: means the performance of any activity that would be assigned to the contracting group as those classifications are designated by the rate service organization designated by the commissioner of commerce and insurance as provided in §. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Electric cooperative: means an electric cooperative or electric membership corporation, whether organized or operating under title 65, chapter 25, or similar statutes of any other state, that distributes electric power purchased from the Tennessee Valley authority (TVA). See Tennessee Code 50-6-701
• Employee: includes every person, including a minor, whether lawfully or unlawfully employed, the president, any vice president, secretary, treasurer or other executive officer of a corporate employer without regard to the nature of the duties of the corporate officials, in the service of an employer, as employer is defined in subdivision (11), under any contract of hire or apprenticeship, written or implied. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Employer: includes any individual, firm, association or corporation, the receiver or trustee of the individual, firm, association or corporation, or the legal representative of a deceased employer, using the services of not less than five (5) persons for pay, except as provided in §. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Engaged in the construction industry: means any person or entity assigned to the contracting group as those classifications are designated by the rate service organization designated by the commissioner of commerce and insurance as provided in §. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Family-owned business: means a business entity in which members of the same family of the applicant have an aggregate of at least ninety-five percent (95%) ownership of such business. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• 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.
• Fund: means the competitive state compensation insurance fund. See Tennessee Code 50-6-602
• general contractor: includes a prime contractor. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Interlocal agreement: means an agreement authorized by title 12, chapter 9, or by this part, or by both. See Tennessee Code 50-6-701
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• 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}
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Maximum total benefit: means the sum of all weekly benefits to which a worker may be entitled. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Maximum weekly benefit: means the maximum compensation payable to the worker per week. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Member of a limited liability company: means any member of a limited liability company formed pursuant to title 48, chapters 201-249 that is active and in good standing as reflected in the records of the secretary of state. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Members of the same family of the applicant: means parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, stepparents, stepchildren, stepsiblings, or spouses of such, and includes adoptive relationships. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Mental injury: means a loss of mental faculties or a mental or behavioral disorder, arising primarily out of a compensable physical injury or an identifiable work related event resulting in a sudden or unusual stimulus, and shall not include a psychological or psychiatric response due to the loss of employment or employment opportunities. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Minimum weekly benefit: means the minimum compensation per week payable to the worker, which shall be fifteen percent (15%) of the state's average weekly wage, as determined by the department. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Minor: means any person who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Month: means a calendar month. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Municipal utility: means any governmental entity as defined in §. See Tennessee Code 50-6-701
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes affirmation. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Partner: means any person who is a member of an association that is formed by two (2) or more persons to carry on as co-owners of a business or other undertaking for profit and such association is active and in good standing as reflected in the records of the secretary of state. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• 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. See Tennessee Code 29-5-302
• Person: means only a natural person and does not include a business entity. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Personal representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• provider: means any person or entity engaged in the construction industry. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Proxy voting: The practice of allowing a legislator to cast a vote in committee for an absent legislator.
• Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Registry: means the construction services provider workers' compensation exemption registry established pursuant to this part and maintained by the bureau of workers' compensation. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• 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.
• Shown to a reasonable degree of medical certainty: means that, in the opinion of the physician, it is more likely than not considering all causes, as opposed to speculation or possibility. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Sole proprietor: means one (1) person who owns a form of business in which that person owns all the assets of such business. See Tennessee Code 50-6-901
• Specialty practice group: means a group of Tennessee licensed physicians, surgeons, or chiropractors providing medical care services of the same or similar medical specialty as each other and operating out of the same physical location. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• 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.
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Utilization review: means evaluation of the necessity, appropriateness, efficiency and quality of medical care services, including the prescribing of one (1) or more Schedule II, III, or IV controlled substances for pain management for a period of time exceeding ninety (90) days from the initial prescription of such controlled substances, provided to an injured or disabled employee based on medically accepted standards and an objective evaluation of those services provided. See Tennessee Code 50-6-102
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105