Glossary
Strict liability
Legal responsibility imposed regardless of fault. Even if the defendant did everything reasonably, they can still be liable. Common in product liability and certain ultrahazardous activities.
Most tort law requires fault: the defendant did something wrong. Strict liability flips that. It applies in narrow categories where the activity is so risky or the public interest so high that the law decides whoever causes harm pays, no matter how careful they were.
Classic examples: keeping a wild animal that injures someone, blasting with explosives, defective products that hurt consumers. The reasoning is that the party in the best position to avoid the risk should bear the cost when it materializes.