Legal Definitions - assumption of the risk

Assumption of the risk is a legal term used in tort law. It means that a person has knowingly and willingly taken on the risk of injury or damage and cannot hold another party responsible for any harm that may occur.

• A skydiver assumes the risk of injury or death when they jump out of a plane. If they are injured, they cannot sue the skydiving company for damages.
• A person who attends a baseball game assumes the risk of being hit by a foul ball. If they are hit, they cannot sue the stadium or the team for damages.

These examples illustrate how assumption of the risk works. In both cases, the person willingly participated in an activity that had inherent risks. By doing so, they accepted the possibility of injury or damage and cannot hold others responsible for any harm that may occur.