Which term refers to improper or unprofessional treatment that causes injury to another person?

The term that refers to improper or unprofessional treatment that causes injury to another person is malpractice. Malpractice typically occurs in professional settings, especially in healthcare, where a professional fails to provide the standard of care expected in their field, leading to harm to a patient or client. This can involve actions that are directly harmful or a failure to act when there is a duty to do so.

In the context of healthcare, malpractice may involve a physician making a surgical error, a nurse administering the wrong medication, or any situation where a professional's actions—or lack thereof—result in patient injury due to a breach of their duty of care.

Other terms like negligence refer to a broader category that includes any failure to take reasonable care that results in damage or injury, but malpractice specifically denotes the failure of a professional in their specific duties. Abandonment relates to the desertion of a patient by a healthcare provider without adequate notice, and misconduct generally refers to inappropriate or unethical behavior but does not necessarily imply the resulting injury characteristic of malpractice.