Which is a requirement for a claim of battery in tort law?

In tort law, a fundamental requirement for a claim of battery is the intent to engage in the contact. This means that the defendant must have acted with the purpose of causing harmful or offensive contact or must have acted with substantial certainty that such contact would occur. The focus here is on the defendant's state of mind regarding their actions.

Intent does not require a malicious motive; rather, it can just be the intention to perform the act that results in contact. This aspect differentiates battery from other torts. For example, if a person swings their arm in a crowded area and unintentionally hits someone, they may not be liable for battery if there was no intent to make contact. Conversely, if the same person swings their arm with the knowledge that they are likely to hit someone, they may be found liable for battery.

While battery can result in physical harm, it is not a requirement for a claim because any offensive contact, even if harmless, can suffice under battery claims. Emotional distress and perception of threat are also unrelated to establishing battery, as they pertain more to other types of torts, such as assault or intentional infliction of emotional distress, rather than the core elements necessary for proving battery.