Glossary
Release
A document signed by one party giving up legal claims against another. Standard part of most settlement agreements: the plaintiff releases the defendant from all claims arising from the dispute, in exchange for the settlement payment.
A release means giving up the right to sue later. If you settle a car accident claim and sign a release, you usually can't go back and sue for the same accident even if you discover new injuries.
Releases come in different breadths. A "narrow" release covers only the specific claim being settled. A "general" release covers all known and unknown claims between the parties. Read what you're signing: and ideally have a lawyer review it: before signing anything described as a release.