Civil Action

What Does Civil Action Mean?

A civil action is a legal action brought by one private citizen against another. This differs from a criminal action, in which a citizen is tried by the state. In the context of insurance, an individual may receive financial assistance for legal fees or legal representation for a civil action if they have liability insurance.

Insuranceopedia Explains Civil Action

A civil action can be initiated when one person claims that another has violated their rights. This differs from a criminal action, where the state prosecutes an individual for alleged wrongdoing. In a criminal case, a government lawyer is assigned against the defendant, while private lawyers are typically hired in civil cases.

An action can be classified as both a civil and criminal offense. For example, if a man has his fingers broken due to an attack by another person, the assailant could be charged by the state with assault. Additionally, the injured man might pursue a civil action against the assailant to seek compensation, especially if, for instance, he is a pianist and the broken fingers jeopardize his career.

Liability insurance can be purchased to cover legal fees for civil actions and provide legal representation.