What does Joint and Several Liability refer to?

Joint and Several Liability refers to a legal principle where each party involved in a liability case can be held responsible for the entire amount of the damages, regardless of their individual share of the liability. This means that if there are multiple parties at fault, any one of them can be required to pay the full amount awarded by a court. This principle is designed to ensure that a claimant can recover the total damages, even if one or more of the responsible parties are unable to pay their share.

The concept emphasizes that while multiple parties may be liable (joint), the injured party can pursue any one of those parties (several) for the total amount owed. This is particularly relevant in cases where one party may be judgment-proof or otherwise unable to pay, thus protecting the interests of the claimant.