What is Negligence?
Negligence is the failure to use a reasonable degree of care given the circumstances. The four elements of negligence are a duty owed to a plaintiff, a breach of that duty by the defendant, proximate cause, and injury or damage suffered by the plaintiff. It is essentially carelessness.
According to Black’s Law Dictionary, negligence is defined as “the failure to exercise the standard of care that a reasonably prudent person would have exercised in a similar situation.” As such, negligence refers to a failure to exercise the level of care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances. It forms the basis of many personal injury claims and lawsuits, where a plaintiff alleges that their injuries or damages were caused by the negligent actions or omissions of another party.
Key elements of negligence include:
- Duty of care: The legal obligation of an individual or entity to exercise reasonable care to avoid causing harm to others. This duty may arise from professional relationships, ownership of property, or other circumstances.
- Breach of duty: A failure to fulfill the duty of care by acting or failing to act in a way that deviates from what a reasonably prudent person would do.
- Causation: The link between the defendant’s breach of duty and the plaintiff’s injuries or damages. It must be shown that the defendant’s actions or omissions directly caused harm to the plaintiff.
- Damages: Actual harm or losses suffered by the plaintiff as a result of the defendant’s negligent conduct, which may include physical injuries, emotional distress, property damage, or financial losses.
Legal principles related to negligence aim to compensate injured parties for their losses and encourage individuals and businesses to act responsibly to prevent foreseeable harm. For example, if your landlord doesn’t fix a rickety set of steps you let him to, and you fall through the steps a week later, the landlord is negligent in his duty of care. Understanding the elements of negligence is essential in personal injury cases and other legal disputes where liability is based on the failure to exercise reasonable care under specific circumstance
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What’s the Difference Between Premises Liability and Personal Liability?
If you’ve experienced a loss or injury, it’s important to determine whether the blame falls on an individual’s behavior or a hazardous condition on a property. This is why it’s important to understand the distinction between premises liability and personal liability. Both terms relate to the legal responsibility that may come into play in liability cases when victims seek justice and compensation from an individual or a property owner through a legal claim.
Understanding Premises Liability
For those injured on someone else’s property, understanding premises liability is necessary to explore options for justice. This area of law holds a property owner responsible for maintaining a safe environment for residents, employees, and visitors alike. When a property owner neglects this duty, they may be held liable for any injuries sustained.
Common types of premises liability claims include slip and fall accidents, […]
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Can I Sue My Doctor for Medical Malpractice If I Contracted Sepsis?
If you were provided medical care and that care resulted in contracting sepsis, you may be able to sue your doctor for medical malpractice. However, your ability to file a medical malpractice lawsuit for sepsis depends on the specific details of your case. To have a medical malpractice claim, a healthcare professional must have deviated from the expected standard of care, leading to your illness or injury.
The medical malpractice lawyers at Munley Law can help you understand your legal options if you’ve become ill or injured after medical care.
Elements of a Medical Malpractice Case for Sepsis
Understanding the essential elements of a claim is key to successfully pursuing a lawsuit in medical malpractice cases like sepsis. In any personal injury case, the plaintiff must show four elements to prove that the medical professional or facility was responsible for the sepsis: duty of care, […]
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Average Settlement for a Pedestrian Hit By a Car
Pedestrians are often far more vulnerable than motorists when navigating busy cities and towns. In a car, a motorist or passenger is surrounded by a steel frame that absorbs the shock of impact during a collision. A pedestrian is not afforded nearly the same degree of protection.
You may deserve compensation if you’ve been harmed in a pedestrian accident you believe resulted from the negligence of another party. Although settlement amounts can be substantial in these cases, as injuries in a pedestrian accident are often serious, the “average” settlement after a pedestrian accident varies widely. Factors like whether a victim has proper representation can play a significant role in the outcome of a case.
Still struggling with the physical and emotional aftermath of being struck by a vehicle, wondering if legal action is your next step? At Munley Law, our pedestrian accident attorneys have guided countless pedestrians through this exact situation, […]
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Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer
Since 1959, injured victims in Philadelphia have trusted the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Munley Law to recover compensation for their injuries following an accident case. Our board-certified personal injury lawyers have helped thousands throughout Philadelphia, achieving multi-million dollar settlements for our clients. If you or someone you love suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, our personal injury lawyers in Philadelphia, PA, can help you and your family get the justice, and the compensation you need.
Contact our Philadelphia accident attorney today to schedule a free consultation.
We do not get paid unless we win your case.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Philadelphia, PA
Our personal injury attorneys handle all types of accident cases in Philadelphia. Our legal team comprises:
Philadelphia Truck Accident Lawyers
Few Philadelphia personal injury law firms have the experience and in-depth knowledge to handle commercial truck cases. […]
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Where Do Pedestrians Get Hit the Most?
Where do pedestrians get hit the most and who is liable for their injuries or deaths? At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, we represent personal injury victims and their families who have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence.
If you were a pedestrian who was hit in a car accident, contact the compassionate pedestrian accident attorneys at Munley Law for a free case evaluation.
Where Are Pedestrian Accidents Most Likely to Occur?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six people who died in car accidents in 2020 were pedestrians; this equates to more than 7,000 pedestrians killed in collisions in the year alone.
Of reporting pedestrian accidents, the CDC finds that pedestrians get hit the most in urban areas, on roadways away from intersections where drivers travel at higher speeds, […]
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