Answer
A quasi-delict under Article 2176 of the Civil Code is a cause of action for damage caused to another by fault or negligence, where there is no pre-existing contractual relationship between the parties. Its four elements are: (1) damage suffered by the plaintiff; (2) an act or omission of the defendant constituting fault or negligence; (3) a causal connection, or proximate cause, between that act or omission and the damage; and (4) the absence of a pre-existing contractual relation between the parties.
Civil liability for a quasi-delict is separate and distinct from the civil liability arising from the same act or omission under the Penal Code (Article 2177). A criminal acquittal does not bar a quasi-delict suit, although the injured party cannot recover damages twice for the same act or omission.
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