Res ipsa loquitur is a Latin phrase meaning "the thing speaks for itself." “Res Ipsa Loquitur,” commonly referred to as “Res Ipsa,” is a Latin phrase meaning “the thing speaks for itself.”. res ipsa loquitur translation in Latin-English dictionary. Res ipsa loquitur (or res ipsa loquitor) is Latin for the thing speaks for itself or it speaks for itself.. In the context of a personal injury claim law, res ipsa loquitur is a fault concept that typically changes the rules when it comes to proving the at-fault party's negligence.. en 3. Under the common law of negligence, the res ipsa loquitur doctrine indicates that a breach of a party’s duty of care may be inferred from the events that occurred. The legal doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, res ipsa for short, allows a judge or jury to presume negligence on the part of the defendant without proving it. Lat. RES IPSA LOQUITUR. In different kinds of injury-related cases, res ipsa loquitur (Latin for "the thing speaks for itself") is a rule that may be used where the injured person has no direct evidence of how the injury occurred. Refers to situations when it's assumed that a person's injury was caused by the negligent action of another party because the accident was the sort that wouldn't occur unless someone was negligent. In most personal injury cases, the plaintiff must prove exactly how and why the defendant's conduct was negligent. Res Ipsa is an early tort doctrine, borrowed from English common law, used to describe certain events with regards to negligence.. How may plaintiff invoke "res ipsa loquitur"? when to use "res ipsa loquitur" when plaintiff does not know what specifically the defendant did in order to cause injury and allows the jury to infer the defendant's breach of duty. res ipsa loquitur noun : a doctrine or rule of evidence in tort law that permits an inference or presumption that a defendant was negligent in an accident injuring the plaintiff on the basis of circumstantial evidence if the accident was of a kind that does not … Many lawyers and attorneys find it easier to refer to res ipsa loquitur as res ips or res ipsa as shorthand.. Res ipsa loquitur, Latin for “ the thing speaks for itself, ” is a legal theory wherein the facts and circumstances surrounding an injury allow the … Res ipsa Loquitur, often shortened to “res ipsa” is a legal term that is used in personal injury cases to show evidence. Res Ipsa Loquitur. The rule comes up with some frequency in medical malpractice cases, because an unconscious or sedated patient is almost always at a loss when it comes to testifying about what exactly happened. the thing speaks for itself. "the thing speaks for itself." Before understanding the res ipsa loquitur meaning, it is helpful to first define a few key legal terms that are often associated with it: What does “Res Ipsa Loquitur” mean? Well, res ipsa loquitur is similar to that line of thinking. The res ipsa loquitur is an English tort law doctrine allowing a plaintiff in a tort lawsuit to prove tort or negligence using circumstantial evidence. It is a method of proving that a tort occurred in certain types of civil trials. what "res ipsa loquitur" mean. In other words, it permits a plaintiff in certain tort cases to simply invoke res ipsa loquitur to prove the negligence element of a tort cause of action. Res ipsa loquitur is Latin, and when translated directly means the thing speaks for itself. res ipsa loquitur - a rule of evidence whereby the negligence of an alleged wrongdoer can be inferred from the fact that the accident happened rule of evidence - (law) a rule of law whereby any alleged matter of fact that is submitted for investigation at a judicial trial is established or disproved This article will further explain the res ipsa loquitur meaning , defenses of res ipsa, and how negligence plays a role in this legal doctrine.