Which of the following truly defines "res ipsa loquitur"?
A)It creates a presumption that the defendant engages in ultra-hazardous activities.
B)It means that the plaintiff would not have suffered injury but for someone's negligence.
C)It refers to a case where defective products create an unreasonable risk of injury to consumers or others.
D)It is an award of money damages to make the plaintiff whole.
E)It refers to actions of the defendant that violates an ordinance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

"Res ipsa loquitur" is a legal doctrine that means "the thing speaks for itself." It applies in cases where the accident that caused the injury is of a kind that ordinarily does not happen in the absence of someone's negligence. It allows the court to infer negligence from the very nature of the accident, even without direct evidence of how any defendant behaved. This principle suggests that the plaintiff's injury would not have occurred but for someone's negligence, aligning with choice B.

Which of the Following Truly Defines "Res Ipsa Loquitur