What principle prevents a person from recovering damages if their own negligence contributed to the harm?

What principle prevents a person from recovering damages if their own negligence contributed to the harm?

• A. Comparative negligence
• B. Contributory negligence
• C. Pure comparative negligence
• D. Res ipsa loquitur

Answer: (B)

The principle that prevents a person from recovering damages if their own negligence contributed to the harm is known as contributory negligence. Under this doctrine, if the injured party is found to be at fault, even to a small degree, they may be completely barred from recovering any damages from another party, regardless of the extent of the other party's negligence. Contributory negligence is a strict rule that emphasizes the idea of individual responsibility—if you contributed to your own injury, you may not seek compensation from others who may also have been negligent. This principle has been adopted in some jurisdictions, although there are others that use comparative negligence rules, which allow for a degree of recovery even if the injured party is partly at fault. The other principles listed involve variations on how negligence is assessed, but none completely align with the strict application of contributory negligence.

The principle that prevents a person from recovering damages if their own negligence contributed to the harm is known as contributory negligence. Under this doctrine, if the injured party is found to be at fault, even to a small degree, they may be completely barred from recovering any damages from another party, regardless of the extent of the other party's negligence.

Contributory negligence is a strict rule that emphasizes the idea of individual responsibility—if you contributed to your own injury, you may not seek compensation from others who may also have been negligent. This principle has been adopted in some jurisdictions, although there are others that use comparative negligence rules, which allow for a degree of recovery even if the injured party is partly at fault.

The other principles listed involve variations on how negligence is assessed, but none completely align with the strict application of contributory negligence.