Tort law represents a cornerstone of civil justice systems, providing remedies for wrongs that fall outside contractual or criminal breaches. This paper systematically examines the foundational principles underlying tortious liability, tracing its evolution from primitive vengeance to a sophisticated framework of corrective justice and deterrence. The analysis dissects the essential constituents of liability: duty of care, breach of that duty via wrongful act or omission, causation (both factual and legal), and damages. A critical examination of the fault principle versus strict liability paradigms is undertaken, alongside the pivotal concepts of damnum sine injuria and injuria sine damno. The paper further explores the vital distinctions between tort and contract law, tort and crime, and the role of major defenses such as contributory negligence, volenti non fit injuria, and statutory authority. By synthesizing classical legal theory with modern applications-including vicarious liability and economic torts-this paper concludes that while tort law adapts to social change, its bedrock principles of compensating loss and deterring wrongful conduct remain immutable. This doctrinal research employs a comparative and analytical methodology, drawing on landmark precedents from common law jurisdictions.