If you are like many people, legal terms are not common in everyday language and can be confusing if you do not know what they mean. Most legal jargon comes from Latin root words. Tort is no different as it is derived from the Latin word “torquere” which means “to twist.” A tort is a wrongful act that someone commits against another. It can also be an infringement on someone’s rights. Torts always lead to civil legal liability. When a tort occurs, personal injury lawyers are the type of lawyers that handle the case that follows. Depending on where you live, you might see more of one specific type of tort that occurs frequently in your area. For example, a Nashville personal injury lawyer is more likely to see a lot of vehicle crashes whereas a high tourist place like Orlando will have lawyers contending with slip and falls.
Tort Law
Tort law is the area of law that deals with wrongful acts and liabilities due to negligence or intentional where injury could have and should have been avoided. The purpose of tort law is to make amends for the wrong by issuing compensation to the victim. This compensation is aimed to be proportional to the injury and its effects on the victim. Tort law is intended to allow this proportionality to be achieved as much as possible by enforcing its statutes upon any who wish to file a claim or aid in any way.
Types of Torts:
There are two types of torts. Intentional tortsare torts that are committed with the intent to harm.
Here are some examples of intentional torts:
- assault
- battery
- unlawful confinement
- defamation
- trespassing
- stealing
- invasion of privacy
The second type of tort is a negligence tort. These torts are not intended to be harmful. They occur because the defendant is lazy or negligent with his duty in society.
Here are some examples of negligent torts:
- motor vehicle crash
- property owner leaves building in disrepair
- companies that release drugs to the public before they are fully tested
- a restaurant mops their floor but does not put a warning sign in the vicinity
In summary, a tort is a wrongful act that is followed with civil action. There are two types of torts: negligent and intentional. Tort law is intended make reparation for the consequences of a tort. People who represent plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving torts are personal injury lawyers.
