An act of negligence is a failure to take reasonable care or precaution that results in harm or injury to another person or entity. In other words, it is a failure to exercise the degree of care that a reasonable person would take in similar circumstances, and this failure causes harm or injury to someone or something.
Examples of acts of negligence in a legal context include medical malpractice, car accidents caused by distracted driving, slip and fall accidents caused by a failure to maintain a safe environment, and breaches of fiduciary duty by financial advisors or trustees. In each of these cases, a person or entity has failed to exercise reasonable care or caution, and this failure has caused harm to another person or entity.
Acts of negligence can also occur in other contexts, such as in the workplace. For example, an employer who fails to provide proper training or safety equipment to their employees, resulting in a workplace injury, could be considered to have committed an act of negligence.
Acts of negligence are considered to be less serious than intentional acts, such as acts of commission, which involve a deliberate action that causes harm or injury. However, acts of negligence can still have serious consequences, particularly if they involve a breach of duty or responsibility.