What legal term describes a breach of duty that leads to damage?

The legal term that describes a breach of duty that leads to damage is negligence. In the context of law, negligence specifically refers to the failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances. This breach of duty must result in harm or damage to another party, which is the essence of a negligence claim. The injured party typically must prove that the defendant owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused damages that can be quantified.

While torts are also relevant, as negligence is indeed a type of tort, the question specifically seeks the term that directly describes the breach of duty leading to damage, which is why negligence is the most accurate answer. Concepts like lapse and liability, while related to the topic of legal responsibility, do not directly encapsulate the definition of a breach of duty leading to damage in the same manner as negligence does.