Also known as: harmful bodily contact · offensive bodily contact · battery
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
Physical contact that injures the body or offends a reasonable sense of personal dignity. The contact must result directly or indirectly from the actor's voluntary act.
Henry Harrison struck his neighbor Hakim Hall with a closed fist during an argument, causing a broken nose and swelling. Hakim immediately retrieved a weapon and killed Henry. The serious nature of the initial blow supplied adequate provocation that reduced the killing from murder to voluntary manslaughter.
Hana Huang intentionally drove her elbow into Hector Hernandez's ribs while passing him on a crowded sidewalk. The blow fractured two ribs and caused internal bruising. Hector may recover for battery even though Hana did not intend the precise extent of the injury.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Hunter Hughes lightly tapped Hannah Hughes on the shoulder to get her attention in a noisy room. The touch caused no pain or injury and would not offend a reasonable sense of dignity. The contact therefore supplies no basis for a battery claim.
Hakim Hall swung a broom handle that struck Hector Hernandez in the leg after the handle slipped from Hakim's grasp. Because the contact resulted from Hakim's own voluntary act, the element of causation for battery is satisfied.
Helios Energy employee Henry Harrison suffered repeated punches from a coworker during a workplace dispute. The resulting broken jaw and concussion constituted the type of serious battery that courts recognize as adequate provocation in a subsequent homicide prosecution.
Highland Farms supervisor Hunter Hughes deliberately flicked a wet rag at Hana Huang's face during a shift dispute. The contact caused no physical injury but offended a reasonable sense of personal dignity. Hana may recover for battery even though the actor did not intend bodily harm.
Harmful contact produces physical injury or impairment. Offensive contact need not cause injury but must violate a reasonable sense of personal dignity.
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No. Liability attaches when the actor intends only an offensive contact that in fact occurs, even without intent to produce harm.
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No. The contact itself must be physical. Mere words, however insulting, do not satisfy the element.
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The contact may be indirect so long as it results from the actor's voluntary act, such as throwing an object that strikes the plaintiff.
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…life-sustaining treatment from her under these circumstances. At common law, even the most beneficent act of a physician is a battery if performed without the patient’s consent. Schloendorff v. Society of New York Hospital , 211 N. Y. 125, 129-130, 105 N. E. 92, 93 (1914). The logical corollary of the doctrine of…