What is the legal definition of negligence?

Negligence is defined as a person’s failure to use reasonable care in a situation that results in harm to others. In the context of accident law, negligence is a type of tort claim used when a person or organization’s careless behavior causes injury, financial loss, or other damages to another person. In Pennsylvania, the legal standard for determining negligence is based on the reasonable person standard. This requires the court to consider what a reasonable, careful person would have done in the same situation. The obligation to use reasonable care is a broad one and reflects the duty to take into consideration the foreseeable actions of others in the situation. In addition to the reasonable person standard, some states, including Pennsylvania, also recognize the concept of contributory negligence. This means that even if a person’s actions are only partially responsible for the accident, they can still be found negligent and liable for the damages sustained by the other party. Finally, Pennsylvania also recognizes the doctrine of comparative negligence. This means that each party in an accident can be assigned a percentage of fault for the incident. The injured party’s damages are then reduced by the amount of their own negligence. Therefore, the legal definition of negligence in Pennsylvania is based on the reasonable person standard and can include contributory negligence and comparative negligence.

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What is the legal definition of negligence?

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