The Virginia Jury Instruction 7.7.1 General Instruction — Comparative Negligence Defense is a legal instruction given by judges to juries during personal injury cases, primarily focusing on claims involving negligence. This instruction explains the concept of comparative negligence and how it affects the determination of liability in a case. Comparative negligence is a legal doctrine that allows a jury to assign a percentage of fault to each party involved in an accident or incident. It acknowledges that multiple parties may contribute to an accident's occurrence and aims to allocate liability accordingly. Through this instruction, the jury is guided on how to apply comparative negligence principles when deciding the case's outcome. The purpose of the Virginia Jury Instruction — 7.7.1 GeneraInstructionio— - Comparative Negligence Defense is to provide jurors with a framework for assessing the extent to which each party's actions contributed to the incident. By doing so, the jury can determine the percentage of fault attributable to each party involved. This instruction ensures a fair and equitable distribution of liability among the parties based on their respective levels of negligence. This general instruction on comparative negligence defense is often modified depending on the specific circumstances of the case. Variations may include: 1. Virginia Jury Instruction — 7.7.1.1 Modified Comparative Negligence: This instruction explains the principle of modified comparative negligence, which bars plaintiffs from recovering any damages if their percentage of fault exceeds a certain threshold (typically 50%). This modification prevents a party who is more than 50% at fault from receiving any compensation. 2. Virginia Jury Instruction — 7.7.1.2 Pure Comparative Negligence: In cases applying pure comparative negligence, this instruction informs the jury that the plaintiff's recovery should be reduced by their allocated percentage of fault, regardless of its magnitude. Even if the plaintiff is mainly responsible for the accident, they are still eligible for a reduced amount of compensation. 3. Virginia Jury Instruction — 7.7.1.3 Contributory Negligence: Contributory negligence is a different legal doctrine applicable in Virginia. Under this instruction, if the plaintiff is found to have contributed in any way to the accident, regardless of how minimal their fault may be, they may be barred from recovering any damages. Overall, the Virginia Jury Instruction — 7.7.1 GeneraInstructionio— - Comparative Negligence Defense is a crucial aspect of personal injury cases, ensuring a fair assessment of fault and liability. The specific variation used depends on the jurisdiction's approach to comparative negligence, either modified, pure, or contributory.