negligence
Definition
Negligence means someone failed to act with the level of care that a reasonable person would use in the same situation, and that failure caused harm to someone else. Think of it as the legal way of saying someone was careless in a way that hurt another person. To win a negligence claim, the injured person has to prove that the careless behavior directly caused their injury or loss.
Example
If a customer slips and falls in your store because you knew about a wet floor but failed to put up a warning sign or clean it up, that customer could sue you for negligence. A court would likely find that a reasonable business owner would have taken steps to prevent the hazard.
Watch Out
As a business owner, you can be held financially responsible for negligence committed by your employees while they are doing their jobs, so proper training and safety procedures are not just good practices but serious legal protection.
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This definition is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult with a licensed attorney for legal guidance.