---
title: "Duty of Care"
type: Legal Term
source: https://casebriefly.com/legal-terms/duty-of-care
---

# Duty of Care

Duty of care is the legal obligation to conform to a standard of reasonable conduct to protect others from foreseeable risks of harm. Whether a duty exists is a question of law for the court. The general rule is that everyone owes a duty to act as a reasonably prudent person under the circumstances. Special relationships, such as innkeeper-guest or common carrier-passenger, may impose heightened duties. Foreseeability of harm is the key factor in determining whether a duty exists.

## Related Terms

- negligence
- breach-of-duty
- proximate-cause

## Related Cases

- palsgraf-v-long-island-railroad
- tarasoff-v-regents-of-univ-of-california
- rowland-v-christian
- heaven-v-pender

## Example

A landowner who opens their property to the public owes a duty to inspect for and warn of hidden hazards.

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Source: [Duty of Care — CaseBriefly](https://casebriefly.com/legal-terms/duty-of-care)