What does a breach of duty refer to in a negligence context?

In the context of negligence, a breach of duty refers to the failure to meet a standard of care that a reasonable person would observe in a similar situation. This means that when an individual has a legal obligation to act in a certain way or to refrain from doing something that could cause harm to others, failing to fulfill this obligation constitutes a breach.

Option A accurately describes this concept, as it highlights the idea that in negligence, a party may fail to take necessary actions that would prevent harm, thereby breaching their duty of care toward others.

The other options do not align with the definition of breach of duty in a negligence context. A violation of a written contract pertains to contract law rather than tort law, which governs negligence. The act of intentionally harming another describes intentional torts, which are distinct from negligence claims. Providing no coverage is more related to insurance and liability issues, not the legal concepts directly involved in establishing negligence and its breach of duty.