What is meant by "contributory negligence"?

"Contributory negligence" refers to the concept where an individual may have contributed to their own harm through their failure to exercise reasonable care for their own safety. In legal contexts, this means that if a person is injured in an incident, and it is determined that they did not take necessary precautions to avoid the risk, their own negligence can be seen as a contributing factor to the resulting damages or injury.

For example, if an individual does not wear a seatbelt and is injured in a car accident, their lack of reasonable care in using safety measures could reduce the amount of compensation they might receive if they file a claim against another party. This principle underscores the importance of personal responsibility in negligence cases and can significantly affect the outcome of legal disputes related to injuries.

The other options discuss concepts that do not directly relate to the specific principle of contributory negligence. While protection against third-party claims and sharing liability involve aspects of legal responsibility, they do not pertain to an individual's own failure to use due care for their protection. Similarly, involvement in a joint venture is unrelated to personal negligence and pertains to business collaborations, not personal injury contexts.