Legal Definitions - volenti non fit injuria

Volenti non fit injuria

Volenti non fit injuria is a legal principle that means "to a willing person, it is not a wrong." This means that if someone willingly puts themselves in a dangerous situation, they cannot sue for any resulting injuries. This principle is the basis for the assumption of the risk doctrine.

For example, if someone decides to go bungee jumping, they are willingly putting themselves in a dangerous situation. If they get injured during the jump, they cannot sue the bungee jumping company for their injuries because they knew the risks and willingly took them.

Another example is if someone decides to play a contact sport like football. If they get injured during the game, they cannot sue the other players or the league because they knew the risks of playing a contact sport and willingly took those risks.

The examples illustrate the principle of volenti non fit injuria because in both cases, the person willingly put themselves in a dangerous situation. They knew the risks and chose to take them anyway. Because of this, they cannot sue for any resulting injuries because they were aware of the risks and chose to take them.