What defines a negligent tort?

A negligent tort is defined as acts that cause harm when the person responsible did not exercise the level of care that the law demands in a given situation. This means that the individual had a duty to act reasonably to prevent harm to others but failed to do so, leading to an accident or injury. In legal terms, negligence focuses on the behavior of the person and whether their actions were reasonable under the circumstances.

For instance, a driver who runs a red light may be considered negligent because they failed to adhere to traffic laws designed to protect others. The harm caused is not a result of intentional actions but rather a lapse in care.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of negligence. Deliberately harmful acts refer to intentional torts, which involve a purpose to cause harm. Accidental harm can occur in various contexts but does not specifically address the failure to meet a standard of care necessary for establishing negligence. Lastly, intentional misconduct causing damage describes another category of torts, known as intentional torts, which is distinctly different from negligent torts, as they involve an intention to cause harm rather than a failure to act reasonably.