What is the difference between contributory and comparative negligence in a swimming pool accident case?

In a swimming pool accident case, contributory negligence and comparative negligence are two different forms of negligence that can be taken into consideration when determining the damages owed. Contributory negligence is a defense legal doctrine that states that the injured party contributed to the accident by their own carelessness. This means that if any part of the injury is caused by the injured party’s negligence, then the injured party cannot recover any damages from the other party. Comparative negligence is a legal doctrine that compares the negligence of both parties. It assigns a percentage of fault to each person responsible for the accident based on the degree of negligence each person was responsible for. It also allows an injured party to recover damages from the other party if the percentage of fault assigned to the other party is greater than that of the injured party. In the state of Washington, courts use a system of pure comparative negligence. This means that an injured party can still recover damages even if they are more than 50% at fault for the accident. The amount of damages received, however, will be reduced by the percentage of negligence attributed to the injured party.

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