Duty of care

Definição

A duty of care is the legal obligation to take reasonable care to avoid causing foreseeable harm to others or to their interests. In Dutch law it is context-dependent: it may flow from a contract, from a professional standard, or from the unwritten standards of proper social conduct that underpin tort liability. Breach of a duty of care is a key element of both contractual and tort claims.

Exemplo

An advisor who fails to warn a client of an obvious risk may breach their professional duty of care.

Porque é um risco para a empresa

A duty of care can arise even without a written contract, meaning that advice given informally or services performed without a formal agreement still carry legal obligations. Professionals in advisory roles face heightened exposure because the standard of care is calibrated to their expertise, not the average person's. Breaching a duty of care can lead to tort claims from both contracting parties and third parties who relied on the professional's conduct.

Como gerir

• Document the advice or services you provide and the information available to you at the time, so you can demonstrate that you acted with appropriate care.
• Define the scope of your duty contractually: specify what you will and will not advise on, and to whom the advice is addressed.
• Maintain professional indemnity insurance calibrated to the scale of losses that could arise if your advice or service causes harm.
• Keep up to date with professional standards in your field, as the benchmark for "reasonable care" evolves with practice.

Referências jurídicas

• BW 6:162 Dutch Civil Code: wrongful act Direito neerlandês

Salvo indicação em contrário, as referências remetem para o direito neerlandês (Burgerlijk Wetboek, o Código Civil neerlandês); os instrumentos da UE, como o RGPD, aplicam-se em toda a UE. Esta é informação geral, não constitui aconselhamento jurídico. Outras jurisdições tratam estes conceitos de forma diferente. Verifique o texto em vigor e a sua situação com um advogado qualificado.