What to Know about Negligence

Every day, we count on the knowledge and expertise of others to keep us healthy and safe. We expect the products and services we engage with to be made or handled with professional care. We expect the facilities we enter to be structurally sound and secure. Unfortunately, there are times when this trust is betrayed: not from the actions of others, but the lack thereof. When injury or damage is sustained because someone failed to uphold an expected duty, that is called negligence.

Claims of negligence can occur nearly anywhere. Whether in a business, residence, or general public space, negligence of others can occur throughout our everyday lives. However, in order to make a claim of negligence, there are five basic factors which must qualify:

• The suspected party of negligence must have owed the victim a specific duty
• This party failed to provide said duty
• Had the party performed the duty in question, the incident would not have occurred
• The failure of duty specifically caused the incident instead of something else
• There was actual loss or damages resulting from the incident

We count on others every day to do their part to keep us free from injury. Cases of negligence have a potential to leave victims with damages to property, medical bills, and worse. So if you or anyone you love has fallen victim to injuries because of negligence, please call a lawyer today.