Res Ipsa Loquitur Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Res Ipsa Loquitur.

Res Ipsa Loquitur (n): A Latin term that means "the thing speaks for itself." It's a legal doctrine used in personal injury cases to demonstrate that someone's negligence caused harm even when there's no direct evidence of it. This principle applies when the accident couldn't have happened without negligence and the person responsible had total control over the situation. Therefore, the incident itself implies negligence.