Wendy's actions were intended to frighten Andrew, but the outcome was accidental. What is her liability status?

In this scenario, Wendy's liability is intricately linked to her actions and the intention behind them. The key aspect to consider is the act of throwing the rock. Even though her intention was to frighten Andrew and the outcome was accidental, the act of throwing a rock can qualify as an intentional tort. This is because intentional torts often encompass not only the intended results but also the deliberate actions that lead to those results, regardless of whether the final consequences were anticipated or not.

When Wendy chose to throw the rock, she engaged in a voluntary act that created a reasonable possibility of causing harm or fear, thereby crossing into the realm of liability. The intention to frighten, combined with the act of physically throwing the rock, establishes a foundation for liability. The critical takeaway is that the nature of the act—throwing an object in a manner that could harm someone, even if the specific outcome was unintended—creates legal responsibility.

In contrast, other options focus on different aspects such as the absence of premeditation or the misunderstanding of liability concerning accidental outcomes. However, the core of Wendy's responsibility lies in her deliberate action of throwing the rock, which is sufficient to establish liability, regardless of her initial intent or the unforeseen outcome.