What are the elements of negligence?

Negligence is a legal concept that describes the failure of an individual to act with a reasonable degree of care towards others. The elements of negligence in Mississippi are duty, breach of duty, proximate cause, and injury. Duty is the legal responsibility to act with reasonable care towards others. An individual must have a duty of care to another before negligence can be established. For instance, a driver has a duty of care to other drivers on the road to drive in a safe manner. Breach of duty is the failure of an individual to act with a reasonable degree of care. If a driver fails to exercise reasonable care to other drivers, they have breached their duty. This could be running a red light or engaging in reckless driving. Proximate cause is the direct cause of the injury that resulted from the breach of duty. In a car accident, for example, the proximate cause could be a driver speeding or running a red light. Injury is any harm or loss suffered by an individual due to the breach of duty. In the car accident example, an injury could be physical, psychological, or financial due to medical bills or car repairs. All four of these elements must be present in order to establish negligence in Mississippi. Without a duty, a breach of duty, a proximate cause, or an injury, negligence cannot be established.

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What are the elements of negligence?

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