Final answer:
The notion that if a plaintiff is even slightly negligent and recovers nothing is called contributory negligence. This has often been replaced by comparative negligence, which allows for damages based on the level of fault of each party.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept that if a plaintiff is even slightly negligent, they recover nothing in a tort claim is known as contributory negligence. Under contributory negligence, a plaintiff who is found to have contributed to the harm or injury in any way is barred from receiving any damages from the defendant.
This rule can be quite harsh and has been replaced in many jurisdictions by the comparative negligence standard, which allows for damages to be apportioned according to the degree of negligence attributable to each party. Comparative negligence permits a plaintiff to recover even when they are partly at fault, with their recovery being reduced in proportion to their degree of fault.