Legal Glossary - N
Negligence/negligent - This term refers to the failure to exercise reasonable care towards others. Unlike a crime, negligence is categorized as accidental. When a lawsuit alleges negligence, the suing party must prove that the defendant alleged to be negligent had a duty to the injured party and that damages to the plaintiff were caused by the negligence. The court will also need to decide whether these damages were "reasonably foreseeable" at the time of the alleged negligence.
Last modified: December 27, 2010.
