Prior to 1984, Delaware’s common-law rule provided that if a plaintiff’s negligence was a proximate cause of his own injury in any way, no matter how slight, that negligence precluded an award of damages.137 The reason for this rule was the unwillingness of the law to attempt to measure the respective degrees of negligence.138
In 1984, the Delaware Legislature abrogated the common-law rule by adopting a statute providing that if the plaintiff’s negligence is fifty percent or less responsible for the plaintiff’s injuries, then the plaintiff is permitted to recover damages, although the recovery is reduced proportionately. If, on the other hand, the plaintiff’s negligence is greater than fifty percent, it is an absolute bar to the recovery of damages.139 If the negligence was 50%-50%, since 50% negligence is not greater than the negligence of the defendant, the plaintiff’s claim for damages is not barred, but recover is reduced proportionately.140
137. Culver v. Bennett, 588 A.2d 1094, 1098 (Del. 1991). See also McGraw v. Corrin, 303 A.2d 641, 644 (Del. 1973); Beggs v. Wilson, 272 A.2d 713, 714-15 (Del. 1970); Burk v. Artesian Water Co., 91 A.2d 545, 548 (Del. Super. 1952); James v. Krause, 75 A.2d 237, 241 (Del. Super. 1950); Baker v. Reid, 57 A.2d 103, 108-09 (Del. 1947); Lynch v. Lynch, 195 A. 799, 804 (Del. Super. 1937); Willis v. Schlagenhauf, 188 A. 700, 702 (Del. Super. 1936); Kemp v. McNeil! Cooperage Co., 104 A. 639, 641 (Del. Super. 1918); Reynolds v. Clark, 92 A. 873, 875 (Del. Super. 1914); Neely v. People’s R. Co., 89 A. 211, 212 (Del. Super. 1913); Freeman v. Wilmington & Philadelphia Traction Co., 80 A. 1001, 1002 (Del. Super. 1911); Elliott v. Wilmington C. R. Co., 73 A. 1040, 1042 (Del. Super. 1908); Anderson v. Wilmington, 70 A. 204, 205-06 (Del. Super. 1907); Maxwell v. Wilmington C. R. Co., 40 A. 945, 947 (Del. 1893); Jefferson v. Brady, 9 Del. 626, 4 Houst. 626, 645 (Del. Super. 1874).
138. Lynch v. Lynch, 195 A. 799, 804 (Del. Super. 1937); Anderson v. Wilmington, 70 A. 204, 205 (Del. Super. 1907); Jefferson v. Brady, 9 Del. 626, 4 Houst. 626, 645 (Del. Super. 1874).
139. 10 Del. C. § 8132; Culver v. Bennett, 588 A.26 1094, 1098 (Del. 1991). See also Koutoufaris v. Dick, 604 A.2d 390, 395 (Del. 1992).
140. Pringle v. Herbus, C.A. No. 03A-07-004 SCD, slip op. at 2, Del Pesco, J. (Del. Super. May 28, 2004).
© 2010 David L. Finger