19/06/2025
IN VERBA: LATIN DECODED
RES IPSA LOQUITOR
A principle used in tort law, particularly in negligence cases, where the mere occurrence of an accident implies negligence—even without direct evidence—because such accidents typically do not happen unless someone was careless.
Res ipsa loquitur is literally translated as "the thing or the transaction speaks for itself." The doctrine res ipsa loquitur means that "where the thing which causes injury is shown to be under the management of the defendant, and the accident is such as in the ordinary course of things does not happen if those who have the management use proper care, it affords reasonable evidence, in the absence of an explanation by the defendant, that the accident arose from want of care." It is simply "a recognition of the postulate that, as a matter of common knowledge and experience, the very nature of certain types of occurrences may justify an inference of negligence on the part of the person who controls the instrumentality causing the injury in the absence of some explanation by the defendant who is charged with negligence. It is grounded in the superior logic of ordinary human experience and on the basis of such experience or common knowledge, negligence may be deduced from the mere occurrence of the accident itself. - Dr. Fernando Solidum vs. The Republic of the Philippines, G.R. No. 192123, March 10, 2014!
