Skadebegripende

Skadebegripende is a term used in some Dutch- and Nordic-language legal and policy writings to refer to the concept or framework of damage within liability and compensation regimes. The word combines skade (damage) with begripende (pertaining to understanding or encompassing), and is typically used to describe approaches that define what counts as damage, determine its scope, and establish how damages should be measured and recovered.

In practice, skadebegripende frameworks appear in civil liability, insurance law, environmental liability, and health care contexts. They address questions such as which harms are compensable (property damage, personal injury, economic loss, environmental harm, and sometimes non-economic harm), what causal links are required, and how damages are quantified. The term signals a focus on the content of harm rather than merely procedural aspects of claims.

Because it is not a fixed technical term with universal acceptance, its exact meaning and application vary by jurisdiction and source. Some writers use it to argue for a broad recognition of damage to ensure victims are compensated, while others use more restrictive formulations to limit liability. It is sometimes juxtaposed with skadebegrænsning or erstatning/compensation terminology, reflecting differences between concepts of harm, limitation, and remedy.

See also: damages, liability, tort, insurance, environmental liability, non-economic damage.