ambulance chaser

noun

, Usually Disparaging.

1. a lawyer who seeks accident victims as clients and encourages them to sue for damages (sometimes used facetiously).

ambulance chaser

noun

1. slang.
   a lawyer who seeks to encourage and profit from the lawsuits of accident victims

Derived Forms

• ambulance chasing, noun

Other Words From

• ambulance chasing noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ambulance chaser¹

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Idioms and Phrases

An attorney who seeks to profit from someone's injury or accident; also, an inferior lawyer. For example, Karen refused to join any law firm that included ambulance chasers . The practice of suing for damages on behalf of the injured person in exchange for a contingency fee—usually a large percentage of the amount so won—may be older, but this derogatory term began to be used for lawyers who actively sought out individuals injured in accidents who required an ambulance. [ Slang ; late 1800s]

Example Sentences

Jones already testified last month during the plaintiffs presentation — a contentious appearance in which he called an attorney for the victims families an ambulance chaser.

From Seattle Times

“That is the equivalent of calling a doctor a quack or a lawyer an ambulance chaser,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, which studies the federal government.

From Washington Post

Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California, said that the proposed legislation would also create “ambulance chasers and bounty hunters” looking to “make a quick buck by filing lawsuits.”

From Los Angeles Times

The ABA has asked news organizations not to use the scurrilous and demeaning term “ambulance chaser.”

From Washington Post

What the Idaho Attorney General is not: a low-rent lawyer-for-hire whose goal is to weasel a victory for his clients at all costs, like some sort of elected version of an ambulance chaser.

From Washington Times