Contributory negligence is a legal theory whereby a defendant’s liability can be mitigated by the fact that the alleged victim was also negligent in contributing to the harm. In medical malpractice cases, contributory negligence can become relevant. For example, if you failed to disclose certain conditions on a form or didn’t tell your doctor all of the medications you were taking when asked, the doctor’s liability for any resulting harm can be diminished or even eliminated. Contributory negligence can also be relevant if you fail to follow doctor’s orders when a treatment plan has been established—in other words, you also have a duty to avoid causing harm to yourself.