Any injury to one person caused by the fault of another is called a tort. Torts, which forms the basis for “tort law”, may be malicious, such as someone intentionally injuring you, (a broken jaw resulting from a bar fight, for example), or negligent, such as being distracted by a cell phone and crashing into your car.

As a part of civil litigation, tort law is not intended to prove criminal liability; rather, it is designed to help victims win compensation (damages) for their lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills, and other related costs. This means that if you have been the victim of a tort, you can recover against the offending party to compensate you for your losses.