Law of Tort is an essential aspect of the legal system that addresses civil wrong, providing remedies to individual who have suffered harm due to the wrongful actions of others. It is unlike the criminal law, which deals with offenses against the state, on the other hand law related to tort focuses on compensating individual for personal injuries, property damages, or financial losses caused by someone else's intentional or unintentional misconduct.

Meaning of Tort
The word "tort" is derived from the Latin term "tortum," meaning "to twist" or act crookedly. A tort is civil wrong that causes harm or loss to another person. It can be result from intentional actions, such as assault or defamation, or unintentional actions, such as negligence. The person who commits the tort called "tortfeasor," and the person who suffers harm is the "plaintiff".

Definitions of Tort
There are no specific or straight definitions of Tort but according to jurists:

• Sir John Salmond: It is a civil wrong for which the remedy is a common law action for unliquidated damages and which is not exclusively the breach of trust or other merely equitable obligation.
• Fraser: A tort is the infringement of a legal right in rem of a private individual, giving the right of compensation to the injured party.
• Prof. P H Winfield: Tortious liability arises from the breach of a duty primarily fixed by law, this duty is toward persons generally and its breach is redressable by an action for unliquidated damages.
• Section 2 (m) of Limitation Act, 1963: Tort is a civil wrong which is not exclusively a breach of contract or breach of trust.

Types of Tort:

• Negligence: Most common in tort cases, negligence occurs when a person fails to exercise reasonable care, and it can be result for causing harm to others. For example, A distracted driver causing a car accident could be held liable for negligence.
   
• Intentional Tort: It involves deliberate actions of the person which cause harm to another person, For example, assault, battery, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
   
• Strict Liability: It involves those activities, like owning dangerous things or engaging in hazardous work and it can be result for occurs harm to another, then the person responsible can be held liable even they took precautions are called strict liability. For example, 'A' owns a pet tiger and keeps it in a residential area, Despite being taking precautions like, securing the tiger in a cage, the tiger manages to escape and causes harm to a neighbor in this scenario the owner is responsible for any harm caused by the tiger of whether they were negligent or took precautions.

Essential Elements of a Tort:
To establish a tort claim, certain elements must be present:

• Duty of Care: The defendant (tortfeasor) must owe to duty of care to the plaintiff, meaning they should act reasonably to prevent harm.
• Breach of Duty: The defendant must breach the duty care through negligence or intentional misconduct.
• Causation: There must be direct link between the defendant's action and harm suffered by the plaintiff.
• Damages: The plaintiff must experience actual harm, loss, either physical, emotional or financial.

Compensation:
The primary role of tort law is to compensate the injured party. Damages can include monetary compensation for medical expenses, property damage, lost, wages, pain and suffering.

Defenses:
Defenses in the law of torts are legal arguments or justifications that defendants can use to eliminate their liability for the alleged wrongful conduct. Here are some common defenses in tort law:

1. Contributory Negligence:
   • Definition: This defense argues that the plaintiff's own negligence contributed to their injuries.
   • Effect: In some jurisdictions, if the plaintiff is found to have contributed to their injuries, they may be barred from recovering any damages.
      
2. Comparative Negligence:
   • Definition: Recognizes that both the plaintiff and defendant may be negligent, and the damages are allocated based on each party's degree of fault.
   • Effect: Even if the plaintiff is partially at fault, they can still recover damages, but the amount is reduced proportionally.
      
3. Mistake of Fact:
   • The defendant argues that their actions, although causing harm, were necessary to prevent greater harm or danger.
      
4. Self-Defense:
   • This defense applies in situations where the defendant reasonably believed that their actions were necessary to protect themselves or others from harm.
      
5. Act of God:
   • When harm is caused by natural events beyond human control, the defendant may assert that the event was an "act of god" and, therefore, not their responsibility.

Conclusion:
Understanding the basics of tort law is crucial for navigating the legal landscape and seeking justice when harmed. Whether it's negligence, intentional wrongdoing, or strict liability, tort law plays a vital role in ensuring individuals can receive compensation for the losses they have suffered due to the actions of others.