culpable negligence
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- (Law) A degree of negligence that is more than simple carelessness; it involves a reckless disregard for the safety or lives of others, or a failure to act where there is a duty to do so, with consequences that could lead to injury or death. This term is used in legal contexts to describe conduct that is so far below a reasonable standard of care that it becomes blameworthy.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The driver was charged with culpable negligence after the fatal accident, as he was texting while driving.
- The hospital was found liable for the patient's death due to the surgeon's culpable negligence during the procedure.
- The landlord's culpable negligence in failing to repair the broken staircase led to a tenant's serious injury.
Advanced Usage
"Gross negligence": Often used interchangeably with "culpable negligence" in legal contexts to describe an extreme departure from the standard of care.
- The court ruled that the company's failure to maintain its equipment constituted gross negligence.
"Criminal negligence": A related legal term that can lead to criminal charges, often overlapping with culpable negligence.
- He was convicted of criminal negligence for leaving a loaded firearm within a child's reach.
Variants and Related Words
Negligence (n): The general failure to exercise proper care.
- Simple negligence is not always punishable by law, unlike culpable negligence.
Culpable (adj): Deserving blame; at fault.
- The investigation concluded that the manager was culpable for the safety violations.
Negligent (adj): Failing to take proper care.
- The negligent guard failed to secure the premises.
Synonyms
- Gross negligence: Extreme carelessness.
- Recklessness: Acting without caution for the consequences.
- Dereliction of duty: Willful neglect of a responsibility.
Related Phrases
"Actionable negligence": Negligence that provides grounds for a lawsuit.
- The plaintiff's lawyer argued that the defendant's conduct amounted to actionable negligence.
"Willful and wanton negligence": A legal phrase describing intentional disregard for safety.
- The jury found the defendant guilty of willful and wanton negligence.
Related Idioms
- "Turn a blind eye": To ignore something wrong or dangerous deliberately.
- By turning a blind eye to the safety hazards, the supervisor demonstrated culpable negligence.
Noun
- (law) recklessly acting without reasonable caution and putting another person at risk of injury or death (or failing to do something with the same consequences)