When someone brings up personal injury or accident
litigation, you hear the word “negligence” quite often, but what exactly does
it mean?
Defined: Negligence
By definition, negligence is the careless actions of an
individual that result or cause the harm or injury of another.
Negligence is the basis of most personal injury lawsuits.
Not only does it encompass careless actions of an individual or company,
negligence can refer to a lack of action.
If a responsible party failed to take action, and as a
result, his or her failure caused harm to another person, that is negligence.
If a defendant could have prevented an injury from happening and did nothing,
that is negligence.
In litigation, plaintiffs usually establish negligence by
proving that the defendant did one of several things:
- Owed a duty to the plaintiff
- Breached a responsibility by failing conform to the required standard of conduct or safety
- Caused the harm to the plaintiff
- Failed to warn of danger or breach of safety
There is no reason that you should quietly suffer the
negligent actions of a responsible party. If you or someone you know has been
injured in an accident that could have been preventable, you should speak to an attorney. A legal adviser could determine whether you are eligible for a claim.
Don’t let insurance companies take advantage of you. Fight
for your rights by speaking to an attorney.
