Opinion ID: 1690678
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Principal Issue

Text: As the court of appeal correctly found, the motorist Brown's conduct was grossly negligent, however commendable the purpose in attempting to arrest illegal rabbit hunters. Our essential inquiry, therefore, is whether Dupas's conduct, under the circumstances, subjected himself to unreasonable risk of injury so as to constitute contributory negligence. As we summarized in Smolinski v. Taulli, 276 So.2d 286, 290 (La.1973) (citations omitted): Contributory negligence is conduct on the part of the plaintiff which falls below the standard to which he should conform for his own protection. The standard of conduct to which the plaintiff must conform for his own protection is that of a reasonable man under like circumstances. The party relying upon contributory negligence has the burden of proving it. Failure to take every precaution against every foreseeable risk or to use extraordinary skill, caution, and foresight does not constitute negligence or contributory negligence. . . . [The victim] is required only to use reasonable precautions, and [his] conduct in this regard is not negligent if, by a common-sense test, it is in accord with that of reasonably prudent persons faced with similar conditions and circumstances.