Which acronym summarizes the four elements that must be proven for negligence?

• A. CARE
• B. RISK
• C. DASH
• D. SAFE

Answer: (C)

Negligence hinges on proving four elements: a duty of care, a breach of that duty, causation linking the breach to the injury, and actual damages. The DASH acronym is a handy way to remember these four parts: D stands for Duty, A for Adherence to the standard of care (a breach occurs when this standard isn’t met), S for Causation (the breach must cause the injury), and H for Harm or Damages (there must be actual losses). Keeping these four pieces in mind shows why every element must be present for negligence to be established: without a duty, there’s no obligation; without a breach, there’s no failure to meet the standard; without causation, the breach didn’t lead to the harm; and without damages, there’s nothing recoverable.