What must a plaintiff prove to win a negligence case?

In a negligence case, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiff. This concept is foundational in tort law, which involves the obligations individuals have to avoid causing harm to others through their actions or omissions.

To establish negligence, the plaintiff needs to prove four essential elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. The first element, duty of care, requires that the defendant had a legal obligation to act in a manner that would prevent foreseeable harm to others.

If this duty is established, the plaintiff can then proceed to show whether the defendant breached that duty, whether the breach directly caused the injuries sustained by the plaintiff, and what damages resulted from that breach. Thus, proving that the defendant owed a duty of care is a critical starting point in establishing a successful negligence claim.