What Is a Tort? (Quick Definition)

Have you ever heard someone mention a “tort” on TV or in a news story and wondered what it means? Even if you’re not a lawyer, understanding the basics of this common legal term can help you recognize your rights and responsibilities in everyday life. Torts aren’t just complicated legal concepts—they can be part of regular situations you might experience at work, at home, or out in public. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what a tort is, why it matters, and how it could show up in your own world.

Tort: The Simple Definition

A tort is a wrongful act that causes harm to another person and leads to legal responsibility. In the simplest terms, if someone’s actions (or lack of action) hurt you or your property, and the law allows you to seek compensation, that situation usually involves a tort.

Torts are not about breaking the law in the way that a crime is. Instead, they are about someone violating your personal rights, even if it wasn’t on purpose. The key idea is that a tort gives the harmed person a chance to be “made whole” again—often through money, an apology, or another remedy—because of someone else’s mistake or careless behavior.

Everyday Examples of Torts

Torts aren’t just for lawyers or courtrooms—they happen in real life, often in the most ordinary situations. Here are two simple, everyday examples that show how a tort can affect anyone:

1. Accidentally Causing Harm (Negligence Example):
Imagine you spill water on a grocery store floor and don’t clean it up or warn anyone. Later, someone slips, falls, and gets injured. Even though you didn’t mean to hurt anyone, your failure to act carefully led to someone else’s harm. In this case, the injured person may have a right to seek compensation from you through a negligence tort claim.

2. Purposely Damaging Property (Intentional Tort Example):
Suppose you get angry during a disagreement with your neighbor and throw a rock through their window. Here, you intentionally caused damage to someone else’s property. Your neighbor could sue you for an intentional tort, asking the court to make you pay for the repairs.

These are just two examples, but torts can include many other situations: from medical mistakes (medical malpractice), to dog bites, to defamation (spreading harmful false information about someone).

Tort vs. Crime: What’s the Difference?

It’s easy to confuse torts with crimes, but they are very different in the eyes of the law.
A crime is an act that the government considers harmful to society as a whole—like theft, assault, or vandalism. When someone commits a crime, the state brings charges and, if found guilty, the person may face jail time, fines, or other punishment.

A tort, on the other hand, is about harm done to an individual or their property—not to society as a whole. If you are the victim of a tort, you (not the government) start a lawsuit to get compensation or another remedy. The focus is on making things right between individuals, not punishing the wrongdoer on behalf of everyone.

In short:

• Crimes are prosecuted by the government to protect society.
• Torts are handled between individuals to address private harm.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is a tort always intentional?
No. Many torts happen because someone was careless or negligent, not because they meant to cause harm.

2. Can I sue for any tort?
Not always. You can usually sue if you suffered real harm and the law recognizes your situation as a tort. Courts look for evidence and real damages.

3. What is a famous example of a tort?
One classic example is “slip and fall” cases, where someone gets hurt due to a business’s failure to keep their property safe.

4. Are all accidents considered torts?
No. Some accidents happen without anyone being legally at fault. For a tort, someone usually must have acted carelessly or wrongly.

5. How are torts resolved in court?
Most tort cases are resolved by one person (the plaintiff) suing another (the defendant) for money or other remedies. Some cases settle before going to trial.

Conclusion

Understanding what a tort is can help you recognize your rights and protect yourself if something goes wrong. You don’t have to be a legal expert to know when you’ve been wronged—or to take steps toward setting things right. Remember: tort law is there to make sure that everyday people have a fair chance to recover when they’re harmed by the actions of others. The more you know about your rights, the better prepared you’ll be in everyday life.