Liable Definition and Legal Meaning

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

What is Liable?

(adj) A person or entity is said to liable to compensate the void when he makes or cause to make a loss or damage to the other party by an action he is not expected to do or no action of his responsibilities or contractual obligations.

History and Meaning of Liable

The term "liable" has its origin in the Latin term "labilis" which stands for "liable to fall." It is commonly used in the field of law, where it refers to a person or entity being responsible for an action or inaction that results in harm, loss, or damage to another party.

Liable can be used in different contexts, such as to describe legal obligations, debts, or penalties for failing to meet certain standards or fulfill contractual obligations.

Examples of Liable

Here are a few examples of how the term "liable" could be used in different contexts:

  1. If a company fails to provide proper safety equipment to its workers and one of them gets injured as a result, the company can be held liable for the worker's medical expenses and lost wages.

  2. If a person causes a car accident due to reckless driving, they can be held liable for the damage caused to the other party's vehicle and any medical expenses incurred.

  3. If a landlord fails to make necessary repairs in a rental property and a tenant gets injured due to that, the landlord can be held liable for the tenant's medical expenses and any damages incurred.

Legal Terms Similar to Liable

Here are a few related terms that are often used in legal contexts:

  • Negligent: refers to failure to take reasonable care in conducting an action which results in harm to another party
  • Damages: refers to the amount of money awarded to compensate the victim for the harm suffered
  • Breach of contract: refers to a specific type of liability that arises when one party fails to meet the obligations outlined in a contract
  • Tort: refers to any civil wrong that causes harm to another party and can result in legal liability