battery

A battery is an intentional infliction of a harmful or offensive contact with another person. For example, defendant punches plaintiff in the face would be considered a battery.

In order for a battery to exist, the action must be intentional. The actions of the defendant must be intentional. Either to cause the harmful or offensive contact or to cause apprehension of an imminent harm.

The intentional actions must be to cause a harmful or offensive contact. Such harmful or offensive contact can be a physical strike, or physical pain, but also includes other forms of contact such as spitting.

Even if the defendants actions result in an unintended contact, a battery claim may be established if the defendants actions caused another harm to take place.

Transferred Intent

The doctrine of transferred intent applies to battery cases. This means that if a defendant intents to commit a battery (punch) against A but misses and hits B with the punch, the defendant may be liable for battery against B.

Note: it is not necessary for the plaintiff to have known about the harmful or offensive contact.