Negligence

Negligence is the most significant of all of the torts. The tort of negligence occurs when an individual causes damage to another by a non-deliberate breach of a duty owed to that other.

In other words, negligence is the failure to use care which a reasonable and prudent person would use under similar circumstances.

It must be established that a duty of care is owed by the defendant to the plaintiff and that there has been a breach of that duty. In establishing whether a breach has occurred a court will need to determine the standard of care owed.

The cause of action is not complete unless it is established that the plaintiff has suffered damage as a result of the breach.

A finding of culpable negligence is a determination that the harm due to negligence could have been prevented.

Negligent homicide is a determination that a culpable and deliberate neglect caused preventable death. Deliberate withholding of care for the conscious purpose of ending life is murder. See Terri Schiavo

Dereliction of duty is a formal military charge of negligence in the performance of duty which potentially or actually compromises the security of a military installation or operation.

External links

• Parental Neglect - legal dictionary (thefreedictionary.com)
• Wrongful Death - legal dictionary (thefreedictionary.com)
• The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) (military.com)