Degrees of Negligence Law and Legal Definition
Degrees of negligence are the classes or grades of negligence into which it has been divided by statutes and judicial decisions, ranging from slight negligence to that which is gross, willful, or wanton.
It is the measure of negligence necessary for liability to result. For instance, parties under an obligation to exercise great care, such as common carriers, may be liable for slight negligence. Similarly, parties only required to exercise slight care, such as the driver of an automobile in a state which has a guest statute, will be liable to a passenger only for gross negligence.
