Final answer:
The statement is true; res ipsa loquitur is a legal doctrine that allows the presumption of negligence when an incident could not have occurred without it and the defendant had control over the cause.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur tells us that the breach (neglect) of duty is so obvious that it does not need further explanation is true. The Latin phrase “res ipsa loquitur” literally translates to “the thing speaks for itself”. In legal context, it refers to a situation where the facts imply that the defendant's negligence caused the harm.
This doctrine is applicable when the harm would not typically have occurred without someone's negligence, and the defendant had exclusive control over the instrumentality that caused the harm. For instance, if a surgical instrument is left inside a patient after surgery, it is evident that a breach of duty has occurred, and the responsibility lies with those in control of the operation.
This does not require further explanation to infer breach of duty, thereby eliminating the need for the plaintiff to provide specific evidence of negligence.