Categories of Torts

Torts are civil wrongs that cause harm or injury to another person, for which the injured party may seek compensation. There are three types of torts recognised in law:

Intentional torts: These are torts that occur when a person intentionally acts in a way that causes harm or injury to another person. Examples of intentional torts include assault, battery, false imprisonment, trespass to land or chattels, conversion, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Negligence torts: Negligence is the most common type of tort. It occurs when a person fails to exercise reasonable care and causes harm to another person. Negligence torts include car accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, and other situations where a person's carelessness results in harm to another.

Strict Liability torts: Strict liability torts are those where the defendant is held liable for harm caused to the plaintiff, regardless of fault or intent. Examples of strict liability torts include product liability, where a manufacturer is liable for injuries caused by a defective product, and ultrahazardous activities, such as blasting, where the person conducting the activity is strictly liable for any harm caused.

These categories are not always mutually exclusive, and some torts may fall into more than one category. Some torts such as assault, battery and false imprisonment are also crimes which incur criminal liability in addition to tortious claims.