What must a plaintiff prove to recover damages in a negligence lawsuit?

In a negligence lawsuit, the plaintiff must demonstrate actual loss or damages to recover compensation. This means that the plaintiff needs to show that they suffered a measurable injury or loss as a result of the defendant's actions. The legal reasoning behind this requirement is that negligence alone—a failure to act with reasonable care—does not entitle someone to damages; it must be connected to a tangible harm.

For instance, if a person slips on a wet floor in a store due to the store's negligence in not maintaining a safe environment, they must provide evidence of the injury sustained from the fall, such as medical bills, lost wages, or other financial losses. Without proving actual damages, a negligence claim cannot succeed, regardless of whether the defendant acted negligently.

This understanding of damages is critical in negligence claims, as it ensures that only those who have genuinely been harmed can seek recovery. Other options, such as proof of negligence only, witness testimony, or public consensus, while potentially important in certain contexts, do not fulfill the specific requirement for proving damages in a negligence case.