What is the legal definition of negligence?

In Washington, negligence is defined as a failure to act as a reasonable person would under similar circumstances. Generally, this means that if someone has a duty to take certain precautions or behave in a certain way, they must do so in order to protect the safety and well-being of others. If a person breaches their duty of care, and another person is harmed as a result, then the person who breached their duty is said to be negligent. This is known as ‘negligence liability’ and is the basis of many personal injury claims in Washington. In order to prove negligence and recover damages in a lawsuit, a plaintiff (the person filing suit) must prove that the defendant (the person being sued) had a duty to take reasonable care and failed to do so, thus causing harm or injury to the plaintiff. The legal definition of negligence in Washington is an important concept to understand, as it is a cornerstone of many accident law cases. Knowing when someone is liable for an accident or injury is important for both protecting people from being harmed and for awarding damages to those who have been harmed by a negligent act.

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What is the legal definition of negligence?

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