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34 Emory L. J. 65 (1985)
Pure vs. Modified Comparative Fault: Notes on the Debate

handle is hein.journals/emlj34 and id is 79 raw text is: PURE VS. MODIFIED COMPARATIVE FAULT: NOTES ON THE DEBATE by David C. Sobelsohn* I. INTRODUCTION The triumph of the principle of comparative fault over the com- mon law rule of contributory negligence1 is now an accomplished fact.2 Scholars who continue to describe comparative fault as an *Visiting Associate Professor of Law, University of Detroit. B.A., 1974, University of Chicago; J.D., 1977, Boston University Law School. Parts of this article are copyright 0 1984 by Matthew Bender & Co., Inc., and reprinted with permission from COMPARATIVE NEGLI- GENCE. The author would like to thank Christine Wallace and Reed Lee for their able re- search assistance. 0 1984, 1985 David C. Sobelsohn and Matthew Bender & Co. ' Under the common law rule, any negligence on the part of an accident victim com- pletely barred recovery. The doctrine originated in Butterfield v. Forrester, 103 Eng. Rep. 926 (K.B. 1809). Smith v. Smith, 19 Mass. (2 Pick.) 621 (1824), was the first American deci- sion. See generally W. KEETON, D. DOBBS, R. KEETON & D. OWEN, PROSSER AND KEETON ON THE LAW OF TORTs § 65 (5th ed. 1984). 2 As of November 1, 1985, 44 states had adopted comparative fault as a general princi- ple of the law of negligence. See Kaatz v. State, 540 P.2d 1037 (Alaska 1975); Aniz. REv. STAT. ANN. § 12-2505 (Supp. 1984); ARY. STAT. ANN. §§ 27-1763 to -1765 (1979); Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal. 3d 804, 532 P.2d 1226, 119 Cal. Rptr. 858 (1975); COLO. REv. STAT. § 13-21- 111 (1973 & Supp. 1984); CONN. GEN. STAT. ANN. § 52-572h (West Supp. 1985); DEL. CODE ANN. tit. 10, § 8132 (Supp. 1984); Hoffman v. Jones, 280 So. 2d 431 (Fla. 1973); Elk Cotton Mills v. Grant, 140 Ga. 727, 79 S.E. 836 (1913) (construing GA. CODE §§ 2781, 4426 (1910) (current version at GA. CODE ANN. §§ 46-8-291, 51-11-7 (1982))); HAwAII REV. STAT. § 663-31 (1976); IDAHO CODE § 6-801 (1979); Alvis v. Ribar, 85 III.2d 1, 421 N.E.2d 886 (1981); IND. CODE ANN. §§ 34-4-33-1 to -8 (Burns Supp. 1985); Goetzman v. Wichern, 327 N.W.2d 742 (Iowa 1982); KAN. STAT. ANN. § 60-258a (1983); Hilen v. Hays, 673 S.W.2d 713 (Ky. 1984); LA. CIv. CODE ANN. art. 2323 (West Supp. 1985); ME. REV. STAT. ANN. tit. 14, § 156 (1980); MASS. GEN. LAWS ANN. ch. 231, § 85 (West Supp. 1985); Placek v. Sterling Heights, 405 Mich. 638, 275 N.W.2d 511 (1979); MINN. STAT. ANN. § 604.01 (West Supp. 1985); Miss. CODE ANN. § 11-7-15 (1972); Gustafson v. Benda, 661 S.W.2d 11 (Mo. 1983); MONT. CODE ANN. § 27-1-702 (1983); NEB. REV. STAT. § 25-1151 (1979); NEv. REV. STAT. § 41.141 (1979); N.H. REV. STAT. ANN. § 507:7-a (1983); N.J. STAT. ANN. § 2A:15-5.1 (West Supp. 1984); Scott v. Rizzo, 96 N.M. 682, 634 P.2d 1234 (1981); N.Y. Civ. PRAc. LAW § 1411 (McKinney 1976); N.D. CENT. CODE § 9-10-07 (1975); OHIO REV. CODE ANN. § 2315.19 (Page 1981); OKLA. STAT. ANN. tit. 23, § 13 (West Supp. 1984); OR. REv. STAT. § 18.470 (1983); 42 PA. CONS. STAT. ANN. § 7102 (Purdon 1982 & Supp. 1984); RI GEN. LAWS § 9-20-4 (Supp. 1985); S.D. CODIFIED LAWS ANN. § 20-9-2 (1979); TEx. REV. Civ. STAT. ANN. art. 2212a, § 1 (Vernon Supp. 1985); UTAH CODE ANN. § 78-27-37 (1977); VT. STAT. ANN. tit. 12, § 1036 (Supp. 1985); WASH. REV. CODE ANN. § 4.22.005 (Supp. 1985); Bradley v. Appalachian Power Co., 256 S.E.2d 879 (W.

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