Which legal term describes behavior that results in harm or injury to another individual?

The legal term that describes behavior resulting in harm or injury to another individual is negligence. Negligence occurs when a person fails to exercise a reasonable standard of care, leading to unintended harm to another person. It is crucial in legal contexts, especially in tort law, where the injured party can seek compensation for damages caused by someone else's careless actions.

Negligence encompasses various situations where an individual's lack of action or improper action contributes to someone else's injury. For instance, a driver who fails to obey traffic signals and causes an accident may be considered negligent. The essence of negligence lies in the breach of duty: the responsible party has an obligation to act in a way that does not put others at risk, and failing to meet this duty can lead directly to injury.

Other choices such as contract, voidable, and fraud refer to different legal concepts. A contract is an agreement between parties that is enforceable by law; voidable refers to a contract that can be legally canceled; and fraud involves deception for personal gain. None of these terms directly address the issue of causing harm or injury, which is at the center of the concept of negligence.