Which term describes the failure to exercise reasonable care that results in damage or injury?

The term that describes the failure to exercise reasonable care that results in damage or injury is negligence. Negligence occurs when an individual or entity does not act as a reasonably prudent person would under similar circumstances, leading to harm or injury to another party. In legal terms, to establish negligence, it must be shown that there was a duty of care owed to the injured party, a breach of that duty, causation linking the breach to the injury, and damages resulting from the breach.

Understanding negligence is critical in legal contexts, especially relating to areas such as personal injury, product liability, and professional malpractice, where parties may seek compensation for losses due to another party's lack of due diligence. This concept underpins many legal claims and helps define the responsibilities individuals and organizations have to avoid causing harm to others.