Duty of care

A legal obligation to take reasonable care to avoid foreseeable harm to others. Its existence and scope depend on the relationship, circumstances, and applicable law.

Negligence: A civil wrong involving breach of a legal duty of care that causes legally recognized harm. Duty of care is one element courts assess when deciding a negligence claim.
Reasonable person: A legal standard representing how an ordinarily careful person would act in given circumstances. The reasonable-person standard often helps define what taking reasonable care requires.
Medical malpractice: Professional negligence by a healthcare provider that causes harm to a patient. Clinicians owe patients duties shaped by professional standards and treatment relationships.
Contractual duty: An obligation arising from an agreement between parties. A contract can impose obligations distinct from duties recognized by negligence law.
Negligence per se: A doctrine treating violation of a safety statute as breach of a negligence standard in specified circumstances. It can supply a breach rule, while the existence of a duty remains a separate question.
Foreseeability: The predictability of a possible event or consequence from the available facts. A risk generally must be reasonably foreseeable for it to support a duty.
Legal relationship: A relationship between parties that carries rights, obligations, or recognized legal significance. Some duties arise from established relationships, such as doctor and patient.
Occupiers' liability: Legal rules governing an occupier's responsibility for injury on premises under their control. Control of premises can create duties to address hazards affecting visitors.
Statutory duty: An obligation imposed by legislation rather than arising solely from common law. Legislation may create duties with different scope and enforcement rules.
Compensatory damages: Money awarded to compensate for legally recognized loss caused by a wrong. A successful negligence claim may lead to damages for harm caused by breach of duty.

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