Definition of res ipsa loquitur
- the facts imply negligence (legal doctrine)
Usage examples of res ipsa loquitur
The patient woke up from surgery with a sponge left inside her body, a classic res ipsa loquitur situation because that normally does not happen without negligence.
When a barrel fell from a warehouse window onto a pedestrian, the lawyer argued res ipsa loquitur: the accident itself suggested careless control of the barrel.
Under res ipsa loquitur, a plaintiff may rely on the nature of the accident to show negligence when direct proof is unavailable.