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Malpractice claims require proof of duty, default, cause, and negligence. The plaintiff must prove all elements to succeed. The defendant must have had a duty to act, and failure to do so can be considered negligent. The lawsuit must show that the defendant’s actions had an effect, which must be a foreseeable result of the cause. Finally, there must be proof of damage or injury.
There are different types of malpractice claims, but generally each is based on the same four basic elements. First, there is duty, which refers to a party’s obligation to act. Secondly is the default, referring to the inertia of the obligated party. The third element, the cause, requires that a relationship be shown between an action and a result. The fourth element of negligence requires proof that harm has actually been done.
A legal offense is usually composed of several defined parts, commonly called elements. This also applies to claims for negligence. To successfully prove negligence, the plaintiff is generally required to prove all elements, meaning that failure to prove someone risks destroying the case.
The first thing a plaintiff has to prove is that the defendant had a duty to act. A lifeguard, for example, has a duty to help a drowning individual. However, another pleasure swimmer is unlikely to have that responsibility, so the actor is unlikely to have a case against her.
Malpractice claims are usually based on the principle that a person with an obligation should provide a certain standard of care. Otherwise, that person can be considered negligent. As such, the drowning plaintiff can successfully sue the lifeguard or the lifeguard’s employer for failure to assist. Even if the lifeguard makes an insufficient attempt, such as throwing a life preserver instead of diving into the water to make a rescue, he may be found to have breached his duty.
The third element of a malpractice claim is the lawsuit. This is the part of the plaintiff’s case where he must show that the way the defendant acted or failed to act had an effect. A malpractice lawsuit is generally not the means to rectify a situation, where a person simply misbehaves or fails to perform but no one is harmed.
Furthermore, it is commonly believed that the effect must have been a foreseeable result of the cause. That a distressed swimmer could suffer physically if she is not helped can be considered to be foreseeable and therefore could be worthy of a cause. The fact that a neighbor who witnessed the accident has coronary artery disease and consequently has a heart attack will probably not be considered predictable and may not corroborate a valid case.
Finally, the fourth element to establish is the damage. It could be proof that a lifeguard has a duty to assist a swimmer in distress. It could be evidence that she failed to do so. As a result of his actions, the individual may have had a scare, believing she would drown. However, if she was rescued by another swimmer before any actual damage occurred, there is no reason to file a lawsuit. Neglect requires some type of injury.
