What type of contact characterizes battery?

Battery is defined as an unlawful and intentional act that involves wrongful physical contact with another person, resulting in harm or injury. The essence of battery lies in the physicality of the action; it must involve actual contact that is not only deliberate but also unauthorized. In this scenario, the correct answer highlights the critical element of causing injury through wrongful contact, which aligns with legal definitions and principles surrounding the offense of battery.

The concept of battery does not encompass accidental touches that occur without any intent to cause harm, which distinguishes it from other forms of unwanted physical interaction such as accidental touching. Additionally, emotional harm is a different legal paradigm that typically relates more to torts like infliction of emotional distress rather than physical contact. While consensual interactions may involve physical contact, they do not meet the definition of battery, as they are agreed upon by both parties and lack the element of wrongdoing inherent in the definition of battery. Thus, the correct answer captures the defined criteria for what constitutes battery within tort law.