In tort law, what is commonly referred to as the breach of a legal duty that causes harm to another?

In tort law, the term that describes the breach of a legal duty that causes harm to another is negligence. Negligence occurs when an individual fails to exercise the level of care that a reasonably prudent person would under similar circumstances, leading to unintentional harm to another party.

This concept is foundational in tort law, as it establishes the criteria for determining liability. To succeed in a negligence claim, the plaintiff must generally prove four key elements: the existence of a legal duty, a breach of that duty, causation linking the breach to the harm suffered, and damages incurred as a result of that breach.

Choices that involve intentional actions, such as intentional infliction, and those based on strict liability, do not fit this definition because they relate to different legal principles. Intentional infliction involves deliberate actions that cause harm, whereas strict liability applies to certain situations where a party is held liable regardless of fault. Contract violation pertains to breaches of agreements between parties, which is distinct from tort law. Thus, negligence is the correct term for the breach of a legal duty that causes harm to another.