If the injured party contributed to their own injuries, this defense against negligence is called what?

The correct answer is that this defense against negligence is called contributory negligence. This legal doctrine asserts that if an injured party is found to have contributed to their own injuries through their negligent behavior, they may be completely barred from recovering damages from the other party. In states that adopt this doctrine, the focus is on the injured party's actions and whether those actions played a role in causing the harm they suffered.

Contributory negligence means that even a minor degree of fault on the part of the injured party can prevent them from receiving compensation for their losses. This principle serves to hold individuals accountable for their own actions in situations where their negligence may have been a factor in the incident leading to their injuries.

When discussing negligence defenses, it's important to know how they differ from other systems, such as comparative negligence, which allows for damages to be awarded based on the percentage of fault attributed to each party. Assumption of risk refers to situations where the injured party knowingly engages in activities that carry an inherent risk and then suffers an injury related to that risk. Mitigating circumstances relate more to factors that might reduce the severity of the consequences or penalties rather than serving as a defense in negligence cases.