North Carolina Jury Instruction — 7.7.1 GeneraInstructionio— - Comparative Negligence Defense: In North Carolina, the Comparative Negligence Defense is an important aspect of personal injury cases. This specific jury instruction, 7.7.1, addresses the concept of comparative negligence and its impact on determining liability and damages in a lawsuit. Comparative negligence is a legal doctrine that allows the jury to assign a percentage of fault to each party involved in an accident or incident. This instruction guides the jury in assessing the actions or omissions of both the plaintiff and the defendant, and determines how their respective negligence contributed to the injury or damages sustained. The purpose of this instruction is to inform the jury about the principle of comparative negligence, ensuring that they understand how it applies to the case at hand. It helps the jury make a fair assessment of liability by considering the actions and behaviors of all parties involved. Different types or variations of North Carolina Jury Instruction — 7.7.1 GeneraInstructionio— - Comparative Negligence Defense may include: 1. Pure Comparative Negligence: This type allows the jury to allocate fault individually, regardless of the percentage, and then apportion the damages according to the assigned responsibility. Even if the plaintiff is found to be mostly at fault, they may still recover damages based on the comparative fault allocation. 2. Modified Comparative Negligence — 50% Bar: Under this variation, if the plaintiff is found to be 50% or more at fault, they cannot recover any damages. However, if their assigned fault percentage is less than 50%, their recoverable damages are reduced proportionally to their share of responsibility. 3. Modified Comparative Negligence — 51% Bar: Similar to the 50% bar, this variation restricts the plaintiff's recovery of damages if they are found to be 51% or more at fault. If the plaintiff's assigned fault percentage falls below 51%, they can recover damages reduced proportionally to their degree of negligence. By providing clear instructions and examples, North Carolina Jury Instruction — 7.7.1 GeneraInstructionio— - Comparative Negligence Defense assists the jury in understanding the concept of comparative negligence and evaluating the relative fault of the parties involved. It ensures a fair assessment of liability and an equitable determination of damages based on each party's degree of negligence. This instruction helps maintain the integrity of the legal system by promoting a balanced approach to assigning responsibility in personal injury cases.