How is contributory negligence defined?

Contributory negligence is defined as actions taken by an injured party that contribute to the injury they have sustained. This legal doctrine recognizes that if a person is partly responsible for their own injury, this can impact the amount of damages they may recover in a lawsuit. In cases where contributory negligence is proven, the court assesses the percentage of fault attributable to the injured party and reduces their recovery accordingly.

For example, if a pedestrian is injured while crossing the street but was not paying full attention to traffic signals, their lack of caution can be considered contributory negligence. This will influence the compensation they receive, as the court may determine that they bear some responsibility for the accident.

Understanding contributory negligence is pivotal in civil cases because it shapes the determination of liability and damages. In contrast, an equal sharing of negligence or punitive damages is not relevant to this concept. Similarly, if negligence does not influence the outcome of the case, it is not aligned with the principles of contributory negligence, which directly connects the injured party's actions to the incident.