by John Darer® CLU ChFC MSSC CeFT® RSP CLTC
What’s the difference between a Plaintiff and a Claimant?
Plaintiff and Claimant are legal and settlement terms that are often used interchangeably. But we could be talking apples and oranges!
What is a Plaintiff?
A plaintiff is the person or entity initiating a lawsuit by filing a complaint in a court of law.
What is a Claimant?
A claimant is someone either bringing a case to court or more commonly, bringing a claim to his, her, their, or the other side’s insurance company.
What’s the difference between Defendant and Respondent?
What is a Defendant?
A defendant is a person or entity against whom an action or claim is brought in a court of law
What is a Respondent?
A respondent is the individual or entity that responds to a claim. Often refers to a pre-suit claim.
What is an Applicant?
An Applicant is the party that opens a case at the local Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) office by filing an application for adjudication of a Workers’ Compensation claim
There are some important differences in structured settlement documents between cases in claim or suit. Proper structured settlement documentation in settlement documents is crucial in order to achieve the goals of the settling parties. Don’t talk apples and oranges! Check out my video below for more information about structured settlement documentation.
What You Need to Know About Structured Settlements
Feel free to contact me at 888-325-8640 if you have any questions about these structured settlement terms(or others) and terms related to legal settlements.
Structured Settlement Glossary, Terms, Definitions for Structured Settlement Planning (4structures.com)
Last updated September 28, 2025