Conn. Civ. Jury Instr. 3.7-22

As previously stated, negligence is the failure to exercise reasonable care under all of the

circumstances presented. One of the circumstances for you to consider in this case is whether a

sudden emergency situation existed. The existence of a sudden emergency is a factor to be

considered in the evaluation of whether the defendant acted as a reasonable person under the

circumstances. An individual, choosing a course of action in an emergency, is required to

exercise the care of an ordinarily prudent person acting in such an emergency.

You are to consider the evidence in this case to determine whether an emergency situation

existed. If you find that an emergency existed which was not caused by the conduct of the

defendant and that, as a result of the emergency, the defendant chose a course of action which a

reasonable person would have done under the circumstances, then the defendant's conduct would

not be negligent. However, if you find that plaintiff’s injuries resulted from the conduct of the

defendant and that either an emergency did not exist, or the emergency situation was caused by

the defendant's own conduct, or that the defendant, in the face of an emergency, failed to act as a

reasonable person would have done under the circumstances, then the defendant would be

negligent.