A breach of the duty of care one individual has toward others is called what?

Negligence is defined as a failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances, resulting in harm to another individual. In the context of funeral service or any profession, it specifically refers to a situation where a provider's actions (or lack of actions) fall below the established standard of care expected in their field, leading to potential harm or injury.

The concept of duty of care is central to negligence: individuals owe a duty to others to act with a level of care that safeguards them from foreseeable risks. If this duty is breached, and it can be demonstrated that the breach directly resulted in injury to someone else, then negligence may be established.

While malpractice is also a breach related to professional services, it usually pertains specifically to licensed professionals falling short of the expected standard of care in their professional activities, distinguished by a higher threshold of proof related to professional standards. Breach of contract involves failure to fulfill the terms of an agreement, which is a different context entirely. Assault involves the act of threatening or attempting to inflict bodily harm on another person and is unrelated to the concept of duty of care. Thus, negligence most accurately captures the essence of a breach of duty of care.