A tort claim is a civil legal action initiated in response to harm or injury inflicted by another person or entity. Under tort law, individuals have the right to seek compensation when their legally protected interests are compromised. Representing a significant proportion of civil litigation cases, tort lawsuits encompass a broad spectrum of personal injury scenarios.

There are two types of tort claims. Negligent torts are the most common type of tort claims. These arise when one party’s unreasonable act or failure to act results in harm or injury to another. Contrary to negligent torts, intentional torts are actions deliberately undertaken to harm another individual. To succeed in a tort claim, the plaintiff must demonstrate that all elements of the specific tort law are met, which typically include duty, breach of duty, causation, and injury.