Legal Definitions - personal tort

A personal tort is a civil wrong, other than breach of contract, for which a remedy may be obtained, usually in the form of damages. It involves a breach of duty that the law imposes on persons who stand in a particular relation to one another. This can include injury to one's person, reputation, or feelings, as distinguished from an injury or damage to real or personal property.

Examples of personal torts include:

• Assault and battery
• Defamation
• Intentional infliction of emotional distress
• False imprisonment

These examples illustrate the definition of personal tort because they all involve harm to a person's physical or emotional well-being, rather than damage to property or a breach of contract. In each case, the injured party may seek damages in a civil lawsuit against the person who committed the tort.