What type of legal doctrine is "res ipsa loquitur"?

Res ipsa loquitur (ray-sip-sah loh-quit-er) is Latin for "the thing speaks for itself". It refers to a legal presumption that a defendant acted negligently even if there is no direct evidence of wrongdoing or omission. For example, a patient complains of stomach pain after an operation and an x-ray shows that a surgical tool was left inside her body — although no one witnessed the surgical team sew her up with a tool inside, it's not a stretch to presume someone acted negligently.

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