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Glite Dictionary
concurrent negligence

concurrent negligence

8.6
Two or more people each cause the same harm by carelessness, allowing the injured person to sue any of them
  • noun
  • /kənˈkʌrənt ˈnɛɡlɪdʒəns/
  • Formal
translation icon : negligencia concurrente
  • In cases of concurrent negligence, a plaintiff can choose to sue either one or both responsible parties.

Examples

  • The court found that both drivers were guilty of concurrent negligence in causing the accident.

  • Legal experts discussed how concurrent negligence affects the allocation of damages in civil lawsuits.

  • The case involved concurrent negligence from both drivers.

  • Can you explain concurrent negligence in this context?

  • In cases of concurrent negligence, a plaintiff can choose to sue either one or both responsible parties.

  • The court found that both drivers were guilty of concurrent negligence in causing the accident.

  • Legal experts discussed how concurrent negligence affects the allocation of damages in civil lawsuits.

Surface Forms

concurrent negligence singular
concurrent negligences plural

Morphology

concurrent + negligence

The noun phrase is largely compositional: 'concurrent' (existing/happening at the same time) plus 'negligence' (failure causing harm) lets a learner infer a type of negligence that occurs together or simultaneously. However, the specific legal nuance — that it often involves independent parties each contributing to the same harm and the procedural implications (e.g. suing any or all parties) — is specialized and not fully predictable from the words alone, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The legal term concurrent negligence uses concurrent for 'happening together' and negligence for 'careless' to picture two careless acts that both cause the same injury. That's why the person who is hurt can choose to 'sue' one or both people.