Q: What are the basic categories of damage for which a person is liable?

A: There are seven basic categories of damage. A person is liable for damage that he himself did, whether damage to another person’s property (adam hamazik) or injury to body (chovel).

In addition, a person is liable for damage caused by his animals, whether through aggressive behavior (keren), eating (shein), or regular walking (regel).

A person is also responsible for a fire that he lit, even if it is spread by wind (eish).

He is also responsible for stationary items of his that damaged others who stumbled on them (bor).

These categories of damage are mentioned in Parashas Mishpatim (Shemos ch. 21-22) and addressed mostly in maseches Bava Kama. There are many halachos specific to each of these categories. Some apply only in certain places, whereas others apply everywhere; most pay full value, whereas others only partial value or contain multiple payments; some apply only when negligence was involved, whereas others even when by accident; some can be adjudicated by beis din nowadays, whereas others cannot be adjudicated directly.