A tort is an act or omission that causes injury or harm to another. This is seen as a civil wrong for which courts impose liability. Tort law is the area of the law that deals with civil lawsuits. In general, any lawsuit that arises in civil court, with the exception of disputes over contracts, falls under tort law. The purpose of this law is to make up for a wrong that was done to someone, and to provide protection from wrongful acts by others. This usually involves providing money as compensation for the harm that was done. The goal is to fully compensate the person who was harmed, requiring the at fault party to pay the victim for their losses. This can coves losses such as income they lost, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. There may also be extra money awarded as punishment for the person who did the harm.
Unintentional Tort vs Intentional Tort
Negligence is the most common type of tort. Legally, people are expected to behave in a certain way to avoid hurting other people. When someone breaks this code of conduct, they might have to face consequences. If you were injured in an accident and it was somebody else’s fault, you could bring a claim against them. This is called a personal injury claim.
Intentional torts are when someone behaves in a way that causes another person harm on purpose. If the at-fault party is found guilty, they may have to pay money, go to jail, or be restricted in their travel. Some examples are assault, battery, fraud, and taking someone else’s property without permission.
An unintentional tort is when someone accidentally does something that harms another person. This can be punished under civil law even though it was an accident. The person who did the harm usually has to pay back the person they harmed. Some examples are car accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, dog bites, and workplace accidents.
Tort Synonyms:
Tortious act, civil wrong, tort law
