Chapter 8

please solve that case for me

1 The so-called "seat belt defense" is used by defense counsel to argue that the plaintiff was contribu- torily negligent or negligent per se in his failure to wear a seat belt. Assume you are representing

a defendant in a motor vehicle accident case and argue (a) the plaintiff was contributorily negligent; (b) the plaintiff was comparatively negligent; (c) the plaintiff assumed the risk; (d) the plaintiff failed to mitigate his damages; and (e) the plaintiff was negligent per se. Be as specific as possible in terms of the type of legal argument you would want to make and the type of evidence that you would want to introduce. Would you rather argue that the plaintiff contributed to his own injuries or that he assumed the risk? Why? Now assume you are representing the plaintiff and want to argue that the seat belt defense is inappropriate. In your arguments consider whether the plaintiff has a duty to use a seat belt and whether his failure to do so constitutes the proximate cause of the accident. Furthermore, you might want to consider when the plaintiff 's duty to mitigate his damages arises.