The Latin verb tortum, from which the English term “tort” originates, means to distort, wring or cause to become crooked. The foundation of tort law is the notion that individuals are responsible for the repercussions of their conduct, whether deliberate or unintentional when it causes damage to another individual or entity.
Torts refer to legal terms that describe civil cases of harmful behavior. These behaviors can include physical assaults, interference with personal property or land, damage to economic interests and harm to reputation, honor and privacy. While most torts involve individuals, certain torts are unique to businesses.
The most common types of torts
If your firm is harmed as a result of torts, it may be entitled to compensation. The most common types of torts that affect business entities include:
- Business defamation, libel or product/commercial disparagement involves making false claims or communications that harm your business or professional reputation.
- Fraud encompasses various deceptive actions, including embezzlement, manipulating costs and falsely reporting additional work hours.
- Interference with business relations/contracts pertains to the deliberate actions of a business entity that disrupts or hinders your company’s contractual agreements or business partnerships.
- Invasion of privacy pertains to the detrimental consequences of disclosing sensitive information or the unauthorized use of an individual’s identity within a commercial context.
- Claims about intellectual property are quite prevalent. This pertains to conflicts around intellectual property, unauthorized use of copyrighted material or acts of theft.
- Breach of fiduciary responsibility occurs when an employee, CEO or individual prioritizes their interests over the interests of the firm or corporation.
Torts can be harmful to your company’s reputation and finances. If, for example, you discover false information is being spread about your product, legal action may be necessary to protect your interests. Seeking assistance with your case is recommended to help you seek justice as efficiently and effectively as possible.
