Legal Term: DAMAGE

Definition: torts. The loss caused by one person to another, or to his property, either with the design of injuring him, with negligence and carelessness, or by inevitable accident. 2. He who has caused the damage is bound to repair it and, if he has done it maliciousiy, he may be. compelled to pay beyond the actual loss. When damage occurs by accident, without blame to anyone, the loss is borne by the owner of the thing injured, as, if a horse run away with his rider, without any fault of the latter, and injure the property of another person, the injury is the loss of the owner of the thing. When the damage happens by the act of God, or inevitable accident, as by tempest, earthquake or other natural cause, the loss must be borne by the owner. Vide Com. Dig. h. t., Sayer on Damages. 3. Pothier defines damage (dommiges et interets) to be the loss which some one has sustained, and the gain which he has failed of making. Obl. n. 159.

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