Negligence is defined as what?

Negligence is best defined as the failure to do something that a reasonable person would ordinarily do. This concept revolves around the idea of reasonable care and accountability. In legal terms, negligence occurs when someone's actions (or lack of action) fall short of what would be expected from an average person under similar circumstances, leading to unintentional harm to others.

This means that if an individual does not take the necessary precautions or actions that a prudent person would typically undertake, and this failure results in damage or injury, they can be deemed negligent. This definition highlights the unintentional nature of the act, distinguishing it from more deliberate forms of wrongdoing or malice, which are not encompassed by negligence.

In contrast, definitions involving deliberate acts or intentional wrongdoing refer to criminal behavior rather than negligence, which is specifically concerned with carelessness in action or inaction. Ignoring safety protocols may be a form of negligence but doesn't capture the broader definition, as negligence is more specifically related to the standards of behavior expected in society.