Which statement best describes contributory negligence?

• A. The worker's own negligence contributed to the injury
• B. The worker assumed all risk
• C. The employer was negligent regardless of the worker's actions
• D. The injury was caused by a third party

Answer: (A)

Contributory negligence means the injured worker did not act with reasonable care for their own safety, and that failure helped cause the injury, which can reduce or bar the employer's liability. The statement that the worker's own negligence contributed to the injury best describes this concept, because it shows the worker’s actions or inaction played a part in the harm. For example, not following safety protocols or using equipment improperly can make the worker partly at fault. The other ideas refer to assumption of risk (voluntarily accepting danger), the employer being negligent regardless of the worker's actions (a different liability issue), or a third party causing the injury (an independent cause).