Unintentional damage

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Unintentional damage" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe harm or injury that occurs without intent or purpose, often in legal or insurance contexts. Example: "The company is not liable for any unintentional damage caused during the installation process."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Implementing DMM in crowded settlements inadvertently resulted in service network that was prone to unintentional damage.

Cities

The potential military action, if required, is intentionally quite limited and consciously designed to minimize the risks of unintentional damage.

The Washington Post

Roman law used a similar principle, distinguishing intentional damage (dolus) from unintentional damage (culpa) and determining liability by a behavioral standard.

Britannica

Although the immune impairment is reversible, the physician must seek a balance between intentional damage to the cancer cells and unintentional damage to the immune system.

Britannica

In a sublime plot thread that begins with Audrey and the blackberries and spirals toward comedy heaven (watch what happens to Kyle, Audrey's doted-on little delinquent son), Bernadette does major, unintentional damage to the Galer Street community.

The New York Times - Books

And regulators may simply decide to accept a certain amount of unintentional damage in the treatment of pain, and leave local police chiefs and drug counselors -- as well as individual addicts -- to find solutions to the OxyContin problem on their own.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

A case study is carried out to determine the most common causes of unintentional damages on cargo ships at coasts and open seas of Turkey.

Safety Science

In complex meningiomas, which have close relationships with vessels or other vital structures, the comparison with preoperative MRI permits to better understand the surgical anatomy, avoiding unintentional damages [ 38].

BioMed Research International

In animal M4, as a result of unintentional vascular damage, the lesion size was 16.6° × 6.6°, with a medial border located at 3° eccentricity along the HM.

Cerebral Cortex

Limitations to the design of these OCT needles include the inability to obtain tissue specimens for diagnosis through the same imaging needle, the incompatibility with standard endoscopy procedures, and due to the direct contact of the mechanically scanning needle with the tissue, unintentional tissue damage or tissue drag may occur distorting the images acquired.

Biomedical Optics Express

These are: pipeline corrosion and wear, operation outside design limits, unintentional third-party damage, and intentional damage.

Pipeline Rules of Thumb Handbook Quick and accurate solutions to your everyday pipeline problems

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing liability, clearly distinguish between "unintentional damage" and intentional acts to avoid legal misinterpretations.

Common error

Avoid using "unintentional damage" interchangeably with negligence. Negligence implies a failure to exercise reasonable care, while "unintentional damage" simply describes the outcome without assigning fault. To indicate negligence, use phrases like 'damage due to negligence'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unintentional damage" typically functions as a noun phrase, describing a state or condition. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used. For example, "Implementing DMM in crowded settlements inadvertently resulted in service network that was prone to unintentional damage."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "unintentional damage" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe harm or loss that occurs without intent. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Its primary function is descriptive, often appearing in legal, insurance, and risk assessment contexts. While the register is generally neutral, its occurrence is frequent in Science and News & Media. When using this phrase, be mindful of the distinction between unintentional acts and negligence to ensure clarity and accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Accidental harm

Focuses on the accidental nature of the harm.

Inadvertent harm

Highlights the lack of awareness or intention behind the harm.

Unintended injury

Specifically refers to physical or emotional injuries that were not planned.

Fortuitous damage

Emphasizes the chance or accidental nature of the damage.

Coincidental damage

Stresses that the damage happened at the same time as something else, without being directly caused by it.

Unforeseen destruction

Highlights the unexpected nature of the damage or destruction.

Collateral damage

Often used in military or strategic contexts, referring to unintended harm to non-targets.

Unwitting destruction

Emphasizes that the person causing the damage was unaware of the consequences.

Incidental harm

Implies that the harm was a minor or secondary consequence.

Uncalculated destruction

Focuses on a missing calculation during the process of destruction.

FAQs

How does "unintentional damage" differ from intentional damage?

"Unintentional damage" refers to harm that occurs without a deliberate plan or purpose, while intentional damage is caused deliberately. The distinction is crucial in legal and insurance contexts.

What are some alternatives to "unintentional damage"?

You can use alternatives like "accidental harm", "inadvertent harm", or "unintended injury" depending on the context.

In what situations is the term "unintentional damage" typically used?

The term "unintentional damage" is commonly used in legal documents, insurance claims, and risk assessments to describe damage that was not caused on purpose.

Is "unintentional damage" the same as collateral damage?

While both involve unintended harm, "collateral damage" typically refers to unintended harm to non-targets during a military action or other strategic operation, whereas "unintentional damage" has a broader application.