A defendant is not confined to denials of the allegations of the complaint or petition, but is entitled to set out new matter in defense or as a basis for affirmative relief. In a suit in which plaintiff alleges that defendant has been negligent, contributory negligence by the plaintiff is sometimes a defense which a defendant can raise.
This form is a generic example of an answer and affirmative defense that may be referred to when preparing such a pleading for your particular state.
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Contributory negligence is a legal defense that comes into play in some personal injury cases. Under this defense, if the person who was hurt did anything themselves that contributed to the accident or injury, then the defendant is not responsible for the injury.
When a defendant alleges comparative or contributory negligence as an affirmative defense, he is claiming that the plaintiff did something to cause the wreck. Sometimes it is hard to determine who is at fault after an auto accident.
Examples of affirmative defenses include: Contributory negligence, which reduces a defendant's civil liability when the plaintiff's own negligence contributed to the plaintiff's injury.
The elements are pretty simple: The defendant had a duty to the injured party. The defendant failed to act on his duty. The negligent act caused direct injury. The injury should have been reasonably foreseeable.
Courts prefer the defence of contributory negligence because it enables them to apportion damages between the parties, thus allowing the plaintiff to recover something, even in cases where the plaintiff bears a very significant share of responsibility for the harm suffered.
To establish a contributory negligence defense, the defendant must prove that a reasonably prudent person, in the circumstances, would have taken certain precautions, and plaintiff's failure to do this contributed directly to the plaintiff's injury.
Maine uses a modified comparative negligence system. Plaintiff may recover for their damages as long as they are not found to be equally or more at fault than the defendant. Tortfeasors can be found ?jointly and severally liable" for the plaintiff's damages or financial costs and injuries.
If you file an Answer to the lawsuit and defend yourself in court, you can state an affirmative defense. You can deny what the plaintiff says you did without saying anything else. But you can also have affirmative defenses. You must raise it in your Answer or you may give up your right to bring it up later.
