“0:00 What is a tortfeasor? The tortfeasor 0:03 comes from ancient Latin, and it just 0:05 simply means someone who has caused a 0:07 tort or an injury to another.”
You may have come across the term “tortfeasor” when reading about civil claims or acts of civil offenses, but you are unsure what it means. Let’s explore what a tortfeasor is with Ehline Law and our personal injury attorneys.
A tortfeasor is a person or an entity that commits a civil offense or wrongful act and injures another party.
Tort law lays guidelines pertaining to civil liability to resolve such civil offenses under the civil justice system, providing the victims with a remedy for damage caused by another party.
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In a civil lawsuit, a plaintiff is an individual or an entity that suffers damage due to the actions of another party. The lawsuit filed is a way for the plaintiff to seek redress, mainly monetary compensation for the damages suffered.
In some civil cases, there may be more than one party responsible for the damages, and in such situations, each person or entity responsible becomes a joint tortfeasor.
The court or jury will assess the evidence provided by the plaintiff to help determine the losses each party is responsible for.
A tort is an act or inaction that harms another individual or an entity.
A tortfeasor may be responsible for several civil offenses or wrongful acts, including negligence, emotional harm, and others. A corporation may be responsible for selling a defective product that harms an individual.
In the United States, small claims courts allow plaintiffs or injured victims to pursue a claim against the tortfeasor (the defendant) up to a certain amount.
The benefit of pursuing a claim in a small claims court is that it is inexpensive, and the decision to redress damages suffered is made quickly.
There are three categories under tort law, including the following:
It is possible to have more than one tortfeasor in a tort claim or a lawsuit. In cases where two or more people or entities are liable or share responsibility for damages in a tort action, it is referred to as joint liability.
Joint liability cases are often complex as multiple parties are legally liable for the plaintiff’s damages.
For example, in a car accident where two tortfeasors are responsible for injuries to a plaintiff, one of them does not have the financial means to pay for the damages or dies during civil proceedings, the other tortfeasor may have to compensate the plaintiff for the entire damages amount.
Several liability in law is a system that the court uses to distribute responsibility in cases where there are multiple negligent parties.
There are several types of liability systems that several liability may refer to, and some of these include the following:
There are different types of tort liability involving various factors. A tortfeasor may be responsible for injuring multiple parties, or multiple tortfeasors may be liable for wounding one person. In some cases, the victim may also be liable for contributing to their own injuries.
Liability in civil torts can take one or multiple forms, depending on the case’s circumstances, such as joint liability, vicarious liability, strict liability, and parent liability.
Insurance companies must defend their policyholder against civil claims brought against them.
However, if they’re unsuccessful, the insurer will have to reimburse the tortfeasor for the damages they must pay the plaintiff under civil law.
The plaintiff may be able to recover medical bills, lost income, property damage, emotional distress, and other types of damages, depending on the severity of their injuries, the type of injuries, and many other factors.
Every state follows its tort law that governs a civil case. A tortfeasor may be held liable in one state, but under another state’s tort law, they may not.
An injured victim must speak to an experienced personal injury attorney to learn more about their legal rights following an accident.
Crime is also considered a wrongful act, but they are illegal, and under criminal law, there may be severe fines, imprisonment, and other remedies.
Torts are wrongful conduct that results in state or federal law violations; in most cases, the remedy is monetary compensation.
If you suffered injuries due to another’s negligence, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation, as you may be eligible for compensation.
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Downtown Los Angeles Office
633 West 5th Street #2890
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 596-9642
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