What result does contributory negligence have on a tortfeasor's liability?

Contributory negligence refers to a legal concept where a plaintiff may have, through their own negligence, contributed to the harm they suffered. In jurisdictions where contributory negligence is applied, a plaintiff's recovery for damages can be significantly affected by their own actions if they are found to have contributed in any way to the incident that caused their injury.

When a finding of contributory negligence occurs, it typically reduces the degree of liability of the tortfeasor, rather than completely absolving them of responsibility. While the tortfeasor may still be held liable for their portion of the negligence, the presence of contributory negligence on the part of the plaintiff usually means that any damages awarded to the plaintiff will be reduced in accordance with the percentage of fault attributed to them.

Therefore, the correct interpretation of contributory negligence is that it results in a reduction of the tortfeasor's liability rather than absolving them completely or increasing their liability. This emphasizes the balancing of responsibility between both parties involved in a tort claim.