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ambulance chasing
The practice of following ambulances or seeking out people injured at the scene of an accident. The phrase is typically said of lawyers because some pursue medical cases in the hopes of making money by representing the injured party. Can you believe that guy's ambulance chasing? I've been in the ER for 10 minutes and already I've got a lawyer barging in on me! Your ambulance chasing has got to stop, Carl! You're taking advantage of those poor, rattled people, and I can't stand it!
ambulance chaser
1. A derogatory term for a person, usually a lawyer, who seeks out the scenes of accidents (where ambulances will respond) in order to profit in some way from those involved, often by encouraging them to engage in a lawsuit. The first person I met after my accident was an ambulance chaser who wanted to represent me in court. The guys at that towing company are real ambulance chasers.
2. By extension, a derogatory term for any lawyer. I can't believe I have to hire a lawyer. I don't trust any of those ambulance chasers!
ambulance chaser
a lawyer who hurries to the scene of an accident to try to get business from injured persons. The insurance companies are cracking down on ambulance chasers.
an ambulance chaser
(informal) a lawyer who finds work by persuading people who have been hurt in accidents to ask for money from the person who injured them He was a notorious ambulance chaser. He made millions out of other people's misfortunes.
ambulance chaser
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]
ambulance chaser
and chaser1. n. a lawyer or entrepreneur who hurries to the scene of an accident to try to get the business of any injured persons. The insurance companies are cracking down on ambulance chasers. A chaser got here before the ambulance, even.
2. n. a derogatory term for any lawyer. (Also a rude term of address.) That ambulance chaser is trying to charge me for reaching his office when I called a wrong number! Three-hundred dollars an hour for what? You two-bit chaser!