Tort

Tort law encompasses three general categories: negligence, strict liability and intentional torts. The negligence component is based on failure to comply with the duty of care as a reasonable person. Strict liability dictates that a person is legally responsible for the damage caused by his or her acts. Intentional torts include a party is aware that a certain act will cause damage to another person.

Elements

Depending on the category of torts, there are different elements of each. Intentional torts includes elements in a pattern:  intent, act, result, and causation. The party intends to commit an act voluntarily that he or she knows will cause damage to another party and indeed does cause such damage. Causes of action may include battery, assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, trespass to land, and defamation.

There are certain elements for the tort of negligence. Some elements include duty of reasonable care, such as duty to rescue, duty owed to an invitee, duty owed to a trespasser and so on. Breach of these duties of reasonable care is established by failing to exercise reasonable care to a party.

In the case of strict liability, there may be no evidence of negligence on a party however, the accusation is based on the act itself.

While each category of tort law has its own set of elements involved, there are some elements that are shared. One such element is causation. While causation is usually a larger piece in a negligence tort than an intentional tort, it is part of any tort.

Jurisdiction

Tort matters usually involve disputes between private parties and are brought forward by private citizens. Tort law has touched on many aspects of life in the US - from economic affairs to workplace infliction of emotional distress to environment regulations. Surprisingly, tort law falls to state government. There is no federal tort law. Instead, states create tort laws through common ( through judges) and statutory (legislatures) law. There is however a Federal Tort Claims Act. This act allows private citizens to file federal tort claims and denies the federal government from being immune from tort claims from citizens.