Res ipsa loquitur
Res ipsa loquitur is a legal Latin phrase which translates to "the thing speaks for itself." The doctrine indicates that there is no need to provide any further detail -- the facts of the case are sufficient to find liability. Generally, because the facts are so obvious, a party does not need to provide further explanation. The phrase is most often applied to civil tort claims in which liability is clearly established merely based on a review of the facts.In some jurisdictions, res ipsa loquitur is merely a rule of evidence which creates a presumption that a defendant acted negligently simply because a particular accident occurred. The presumption arises only if (1) that which caused the accident was under the defendant’s control, (2) the accident could only occur as a result of a careless act and (3) plaintiff did not contribute to the accident.
“Plaintiffs attempted to invoke the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur based on the fact that plaintiffs were injured by bricks which fell from a private bridge.”
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