How is negligence defined?

Negligence is defined as the failure to take proper care in doing something, which results in damage or injury to another. The concept revolves around not adhering to a standard of care that a reasonable person would typically follow in similar situations. This means that if an individual does not act in a way that a prudent person would, leading to harm, this can be classified as negligence.

The definition emphasizes the importance of the actions or inactions of an individual when compared to the expected behavior of an average person under similar circumstances. For example, if someone fails to secure a construction site and a passerby gets injured, this could be seen as negligence because a reasonable person would generally take the necessary precautions to ensure safety.

The other options reflect different concepts: intentionally harming another pertains to intentional torts, voluntary acceptance of risky behavior relates to assumptions of risk, and complying with safety regulations speaks to adherence to guidelines, which does not address the failure to act that characterizes negligence. Thus, the focus on the failure to meet a reasonable standard of care aligns precisely with the accepted legal understanding of negligence.