{
  "reviewed": "2026-11-07",
  "survey_used_to_locate_cites": "https://www.justia.com/injury/negligence-theory/comparative-contributory-negligence-laws-50-state-survey/",
  "states": [
    {
      "slug": "alabama",
      "name": "Alabama",
      "abbr": "AL",
      "rule": "contributory",
      "cite": "Alabama still follows contributory negligence (see Ala. R. Civ. P. 8(c) and controlling caselaw).",
      "source_url": "https://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/library/rules/cv8.pdf",
      "note": "If you are found even slightly at fault, you generally recover nothing."
    },
    {
      "slug": "alaska",
      "name": "Alaska",
      "abbr": "AK",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "Alaska Stat. § 09.17.060",
      "source_url": "https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#09.17.060",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "arizona",
      "name": "Arizona",
      "abbr": "AZ",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-2505",
      "source_url": "https://www.azleg.gov/ars/12/02505.htm",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "arkansas",
      "name": "Arkansas",
      "abbr": "AR",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "Ark. Code § 16-64-122",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-16/subtitle-5/chapter-64/subchapter-1/section-16-64-122/",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "california",
      "name": "California",
      "abbr": "CA",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal. 3d 804 (1975) (pure comparative negligence).",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/13/804.html",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "colorado",
      "name": "Colorado",
      "abbr": "CO",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-111",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-13/damages-and-limitations-on-actions/article-21/part-1/section-13-21-111/",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "connecticut",
      "name": "Connecticut",
      "abbr": "CT",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572h",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/connecticut/title-52/chapter-925/section-52-572h/",
      "note": "A claimant whose fault is not greater than that of the others may recover (50 percent can recover; more than 50 percent is barred)."
    },
    {
      "slug": "delaware",
      "name": "Delaware",
      "abbr": "DE",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "10 Del. C. § 8132",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/title-10/part-v/chapter-81/section-8132/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "district-of-columbia",
      "name": "District of Columbia",
      "abbr": "DC",
      "rule": "contributory",
      "cite": "District of Columbia generally follows contributory negligence. Exception: D.C. Code § 50-2204.52 applies a 51 percent bar when the claimant is a pedestrian or other vulnerable user.",
      "source_url": "https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/50-2204.52",
      "note": "Use the pedestrian/vulnerable-user checkbox in this calculator to apply the statutory exception."
    },
    {
      "slug": "florida",
      "name": "Florida",
      "abbr": "FL",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Fla. Stat. § 768.81 (2026)",
      "source_url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/768.81",
      "note": "Section 768.81(6) provides that a claimant whose percentage of fault is greater than 50 percent may not recover damages (not the medical-malpractice subsection). Official 2026 Florida Statutes text opened 2026-11-07."
    },
    {
      "slug": "georgia",
      "name": "Georgia",
      "abbr": "GA",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-51/chapter-12/article-2/section-51-12-33/",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "hawaii",
      "name": "Hawaii",
      "abbr": "HI",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Haw. Rev. Stat. § 663-31",
      "source_url": "https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol13_Ch0601-0675/HRS0663/HRS_0663-0031.htm",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "idaho",
      "name": "Idaho",
      "abbr": "ID",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "Idaho Code § 6-801",
      "source_url": "https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title6/t6ch8/sect6-801/",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "illinois",
      "name": "Illinois",
      "abbr": "IL",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "735 ILCS 5/2-1116",
      "source_url": "https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073500050K2-1116",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "indiana",
      "name": "Indiana",
      "abbr": "IN",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Ind. Code § 34-51-2-6",
      "source_url": "https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/34#34-51-2-6",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "iowa",
      "name": "Iowa",
      "abbr": "IA",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Iowa Code § 668.3",
      "source_url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/668.3.pdf",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "kansas",
      "name": "Kansas",
      "abbr": "KS",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-258a",
      "source_url": "https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch60/060_002_0058a.html",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "kentucky",
      "name": "Kentucky",
      "abbr": "KY",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "KRS 411.182",
      "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=18523",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "louisiana",
      "name": "Louisiana",
      "abbr": "LA",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "La. Civ. Code art. 2323",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/civil-code/title-v/chapter-3/section-1/art-2323/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "maine",
      "name": "Maine",
      "abbr": "ME",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "14 M.R.S. § 156",
      "source_url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec156.html",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "maryland",
      "name": "Maryland",
      "abbr": "MD",
      "rule": "contributory",
      "cite": "Maryland follows contributory negligence (controlling caselaw).",
      "source_url": "https://www.dllr.state.md.us/",
      "note": "If you are found even slightly at fault, you generally recover nothing."
    },
    {
      "slug": "massachusetts",
      "name": "Massachusetts",
      "abbr": "MA",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 231, § 85",
      "source_url": "https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleII/Chapter231/Section85",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "michigan",
      "name": "Michigan",
      "abbr": "MI",
      "rule": "michigan",
      "cite": "Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.2959",
      "source_url": "https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-2959",
      "note": "Economic damages are reduced by your percentage of fault (pure comparative). Noneconomic damages are barred if your fault is greater than the aggregate fault of the other person or persons (a 51 percent bar on noneconomic damages)."
    },
    {
      "slug": "minnesota",
      "name": "Minnesota",
      "abbr": "MN",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Minn. Stat. § 604.01",
      "source_url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/604.01",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "mississippi",
      "name": "Mississippi",
      "abbr": "MS",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "Miss. Code § 11-7-15",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-11/chapter-7/article-1/in-general/section-11-7-15/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "missouri",
      "name": "Missouri",
      "abbr": "MO",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "Missouri follows pure comparative fault (Missouri Supreme Court).",
      "source_url": "https://revisor.mo.gov/main/Home.aspx",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "montana",
      "name": "Montana",
      "abbr": "MT",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Mont. Code Ann. § 27-1-702",
      "source_url": "https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0270/chapter_0010/part_0070/section_0020/0270-0010-0070-0020.html",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "nebraska",
      "name": "Nebraska",
      "abbr": "NE",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,185.09",
      "source_url": "https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=25-21,185.09",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "nevada",
      "name": "Nevada",
      "abbr": "NV",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Nev. Rev. Stat. § 41.141",
      "source_url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-041.html#NRS041Sec141",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "new-hampshire",
      "name": "New Hampshire",
      "abbr": "NH",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "N.H. Rev. Stat. § 507:7-d",
      "source_url": "https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/LII/507/507-7-d.htm",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "new-jersey",
      "name": "New Jersey",
      "abbr": "NJ",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2a/section-2a-15-5-1/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "new-mexico",
      "name": "New Mexico",
      "abbr": "NM",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "New Mexico follows pure comparative fault (New Mexico Supreme Court).",
      "source_url": "https://nmonesource.com/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "new-york",
      "name": "New York",
      "abbr": "NY",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "N.Y. C.P.L.R. 1411",
      "source_url": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1411",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "north-carolina",
      "name": "North Carolina",
      "abbr": "NC",
      "rule": "contributory",
      "cite": "North Carolina follows contributory negligence (controlling caselaw).",
      "source_url": "https://www.ncleg.gov/",
      "note": "If you are found even slightly at fault, you generally recover nothing."
    },
    {
      "slug": "north-dakota",
      "name": "North Dakota",
      "abbr": "ND",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "N.D. Cent. Code § 32-03.2-02",
      "source_url": "https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t32c03-2.pdf",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "ohio",
      "name": "Ohio",
      "abbr": "OH",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Ohio Rev. Code § 2315.33",
      "source_url": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2315.33",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "oklahoma",
      "name": "Oklahoma",
      "abbr": "OK",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "23 O.S. § 13",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-23/section-23-13/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "oregon",
      "name": "Oregon",
      "abbr": "OR",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "ORS 31.600",
      "source_url": "https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_31.600",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "pennsylvania",
      "name": "Pennsylvania",
      "abbr": "PA",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "42 Pa.C.S. § 7102",
      "source_url": "https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=42&div=0&chpt=71&sctn=2&subsctn=0",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "rhode-island",
      "name": "Rhode Island",
      "abbr": "RI",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-20-4",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/rhode-island/title-9/chapter-9-20/section-9-20-4/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "south-carolina",
      "name": "South Carolina",
      "abbr": "SC",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "South Carolina follows modified comparative negligence with a 51 percent bar (controlling caselaw).",
      "source_url": "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "south-dakota",
      "name": "South Dakota",
      "abbr": "SD",
      "rule": "slight_gross",
      "cite": "S.D. Codified Laws § 20-9-2",
      "source_url": "https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/20-9-2",
      "note": "South Dakota allows recovery only if the claimant's negligence was slight compared with the other party's negligence, and then only after a reduction. This calculator does not invent a numeric cutoff for 'slight.'"
    },
    {
      "slug": "tennessee",
      "name": "Tennessee",
      "abbr": "TN",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "Tennessee follows modified comparative fault with a 50 percent bar (controlling caselaw, McIntyre v. Balentine).",
      "source_url": "https://www.tncourts.gov/",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "texas",
      "name": "Texas",
      "abbr": "TX",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001",
      "source_url": "https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.33.htm",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "utah",
      "name": "Utah",
      "abbr": "UT",
      "rule": "modified_50",
      "cite": "Utah Code § 78B-5-818",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/title-78b/chapter-5/part-8/section-818/",
      "note": "Equal fault (50 percent) bars recovery."
    },
    {
      "slug": "vermont",
      "name": "Vermont",
      "abbr": "VT",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "12 V.S.A. § 1036",
      "source_url": "https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/12/023/01036",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "virginia",
      "name": "Virginia",
      "abbr": "VA",
      "rule": "contributory",
      "cite": "Virginia follows contributory negligence (controlling caselaw).",
      "source_url": "https://www.vacourts.gov/",
      "note": "If you are found even slightly at fault, you generally recover nothing."
    },
    {
      "slug": "washington",
      "name": "Washington",
      "abbr": "WA",
      "rule": "pure",
      "cite": "RCW 4.22.005",
      "source_url": "https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=4.22.005",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "west-virginia",
      "name": "West Virginia",
      "abbr": "WV",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "W. Va. Code § 55-7-13c",
      "source_url": "https://code.wvlegislature.gov/55-7-13C/",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "wisconsin",
      "name": "Wisconsin",
      "abbr": "WI",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Wis. Stat. § 895.045",
      "source_url": "https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/895/i/045",
      "note": ""
    },
    {
      "slug": "wyoming",
      "name": "Wyoming",
      "abbr": "WY",
      "rule": "modified_51",
      "cite": "Wyo. Stat. § 1-1-109",
      "source_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-1/chapter-1/section-1-1-109/",
      "note": ""
    }
  ]
}