Li v. Yellow Cab Co.
Supreme Court of California · 1975
13 Cal.3d 804, pp. 827–829
Reviewed by Andrew (Andy) R. Gillin
California State Bar #45226 ↗ · Approval recorded November 4, 2026
How we record review approvalWhat brought the case to court?
Two drivers crashed while one was turning across traffic. The trial court used the old rule that a plaintiff’s own negligence could bar the claim.
The question before the court
Should a plaintiff’s own fault bar the whole negligence claim, or reduce damages by the share of fault?
What the court decided
The court adopted a comparative-fault rule. In covered negligence cases, the plaintiff’s share of fault reduces the damages rather than ending the claim for that reason alone.
Where the rule has limits
This does not set anyone’s fault percentage. Other limits and defenses can still matter.
Read the actual decision
Li v. Yellow Cab Co. — full opinion ↗
Legal review is recorded above.
Questions this decision helps explain
- Can I have a claim if I was partly at fault?
- What if I was hit from behind?
- What if a driver turned left in front of me?
- What if I was hit in a crosswalk?
- Can I have a claim if I was outside a crosswalk?
- What if a car hit me while I was riding a bike?
- Does lane splitting mean a motorcycle rider is at fault?
Court decisions have distinct facts. Read the opinion and the qualifications in each guide before applying a rule to a different situation.