In general, personal injury law can be separated in to two categories: negligent acts or intentional acts.  They may also be referred to as "torts" an old English term meaning "legal cause of action" for which an individual can seek compensation for through the legal system.

Intentional Actions or Torts

An intentional tort occurs when an individual intentionally acts to injure another or their property.  In most cases, is does not matter whether the party intended that an injury occur, only that he or she intended to commit the act which led to the injury.  In some states an intentional tort may also be defined as an act which a reasonable person knew or should have known would have led to an injury to a person or property.

Intentional torts include such acts as, kidnapping, assault, and spousal abuse.  In fact many intentional tort actions are brought as the result of the commission of a criminal act.