Consent in tort law serves as a defense where the plaintiff has voluntarily agreed to the defendant's conduct, negating liability for actions that would otherwise be considered tortious. It requires that the consent be informed, freely given, and not obtained through fraud or duress, effectively transforming an otherwise unlawful act into a lawful one.
Tort defenses are legal arguments that a defendant can use to avoid liability for a tortious act, either by negating an element of the plaintiff's claim or by providing justification or excuse for the conduct. These defenses can include consent, self-defense, defense of others, necessity, and comparative fault, each serving to mitigate or eliminate the defendant's responsibility for damages.
Contributory negligence is a legal doctrine in tort law where a plaintiff's own negligence played a role in causing the harm they suffered, potentially reducing or eliminating their ability to recover damages. This principle is often contrasted with comparative negligence, which allows for apportioning fault and damages based on the degree of each party's negligence.