Res Ipsa Loquitur作爲一個使用在侵權事件中雅定過失的問接或表見證據已經有約150年歷史,且在醫療訴訟中並不少見。由於Ros Ipsa Loquitur在我國醫療訴訟的司法實務中曾被引用,在我國文獻中卻少被提及,醫療從業人員因此有公要了解其歷史、成立要件和適用性。Ros Ipsa Loquitur之誕生主要是將推定過失更廣泛和客觀地使用,它有三個成立要件,包括在事件中的人和物之收納和排除方法。Ros Ipsa Loquitur在國外亦有被應用在醫療訴訟中,但是法官對成立要件之判定非常謹慎,效除了少數很明顯之案件之外很難獲得准許使用。至於Ros Ipsa Loquitur在臺北地方法院89重訴472號和臺北地方法院95醫5號判決中之適用性頗有商確餘地。由於對民事訴訟中舉證責任之分配仍然存有不少爭議,欲使用Ros Ipsa Loquitur改變當事人舉證責任分配時,如果標凖並沒有設立即貿然使用,尤其是課以刑法之訴訟,公須認真地探討。
Res Ipsa Loquitur has already been adopted as an inference of negligence in torts over 150 years and is not uncommon in medical litigation. Because Res Ipsa Loquitur has been used in medical suit in Taiwan, medical professionals should know its history, valid factors, and application. Res Ipsa Loquitur came to being with a purpose to promote inference of negligence more widely and objectively. There are three valid factors for Res Ipsa Loquitur, and they mainly define the party and the instrument in an event. Except for unusual cases, Res Ipsa Loquitur is frequently rejected as an indirect evidence for inference of negligence in western countries because the Court requires strict sanction of its application. In Taiwan, there were 2 verdicts that adopted Res Ipsa Loquitur, in that the validity of application has raised some arguments. Since Res Ipsa Loquitur may change the burden of proof, the application should be seriously contemplated especially in criminal prosecution.