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

Other Word Forms

• ambulance chasing 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]