Standard Of Care Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Standard Of Care, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Standard Of Care?

(n) Standard of care is the attention, caution or prudence expected from an average person , subjected to such circumstances, would have taken to safeguard his interest when his interest and safety are subjected to risk by such events. For example a person is expected to take his wounded mother to hospital immediately if he finds her subjected to an accident. So it cannot be said as a standard of care if he stops at the nearby police station and report there seeing somebody met with an accident

History and Meaning of Standard Of Care

The concept of "standard of care" has been a part of legal and medical terminology for many years. It refers to the level of care that a reasonably competent and skilled professional in a particular field would provide in similar circumstances. For example, a doctor is expected to provide a certain level of care to their patients, and failure to do so could result in a malpractice lawsuit.

The standard of care can vary depending on the situation and the profession involved. It is often determined by expert testimony and is used in legal cases to determine whether a professional's actions were negligent or met the expected standard of care.

Examples of Standard Of Care

  1. In a medical malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove that the doctor or healthcare provider did not provide the appropriate standard of care.
  2. When designing a building, an architect has a duty to provide a standard of care to ensure that the building is safe and meets building codes.
  3. In a products liability case, the manufacturer has a duty to provide a standard of care to ensure that their product is safe for consumers to use.

Related Terms

  • Negligence: failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances.
  • Duty of care: a legal obligation to adhere to a standard of care to avoid causing harm or injury to others.
  • Breach of duty: failure to fulfill a legal duty of care.
  • Reasonable person: a hypothetical person who uses reasonable care, skill, and judgment in their conduct.