Under what circumstances does negligence occur?

Negligence occurs when a person fails to act with reasonable care, resulting in harm to another party. This legal concept is rooted in the idea that individuals have a duty to ensure their actions do not cause foreseeable harm to others. Reasonable care refers to the standard of behavior that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances. When someone does not meet this standard—whether through careless actions or a lack of action altogether—they may be found negligent if their conduct leads to injury or damage.

The other options describe different legal concepts. Acting with ill intent relates more to malicious behavior, which is not a requirement for negligence. Knowingly harming another suggests intentional wrongdoing, which is distinct from negligence, where intent is not a factor. Lastly, when all parties are in agreement may pertain to mutual consent or contracts but does not directly relate to negligence, which focuses on the breach of a duty of care rather than the intent or agreement among parties.