The term for unpermitted, offensive touching is?

• A. Assault
• B. Tort
• C. Battery
• D. Injury

Answer: (C)

Unpermitted, offensive touching is battery. Battery is an intentional act that involves contact with another person without their consent, and the contact is either harmful or offensive. It doesn’t require the contact to cause injury; the key element is the lack of consent and the unpermitted nature of the touch.

Understanding the distinction helps: assault is about creating a fear or threat of imminent harmful contact, while battery is the actual physical touching. Both fall under torts, which are civil wrongs that can lead to liability, but battery specifically focuses on the actionable touching itself. Injury is about harm or damage resulting from the act, which can accompany battery but isn’t required for the act to be considered battery.

In emergency services, consent matters. You often rely on implied consent when the patient is unconscious or unable to decide, allowing necessary care. If that consent isn’t present and the touching isn’t justified, it can be considered battery.