What are the four elements of negligence?

The four elements of negligence – duty, breach, causation, and damages – are fundamental principles that must be established to prove a negligence claim in tort law.

Duty refers to the legal obligation that one party owes to another to act with a certain standard of care. It establishes an expectation that individuals will conduct themselves in a way that does not harm others.

Breach occurs when a party fails to meet the standard of care required by the duty. This could involve actions taken or not taken that a reasonable person would have performed differently in similar circumstances.

Causation links the breach to the harm suffered. It can be broken down into two parts: actual cause (or cause in fact), which determines whether the breach led directly to the injury, and proximate cause, which assesses whether the harm was a foreseeable result of the breach.

Damages refer to the actual losses or injuries suffered by the plaintiff that are attributable to the defendant’s breach of duty. This can include both economic damages, such as medical expenses, and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.

Understanding these four elements is crucial for analyzing cases of negligence and establishing liability, making option B the correct answer. The other options do not encompass the necessary legal elements required to prove