In a personal injury claim, proving that someone else’s actions caused your injury is vital. This is where causation comes in.
Causation links the other party’s conduct to the harm you suffered. Without this link, there is no valid claim.
Causation has two parts: factual and legal. Factual causation asks whether the injury would have happened “but for” the defendant’s actions. Legal causation looks at whether the harm was a foreseeable result of those actions. If either part breaks down, the claim may fail.
When causation is clear
Causation is usually clear in simple car accident cases. For example, if a driver runs a red light and hits another vehicle, the injured person can show that the crash caused their injuries. The chain of causation holds because the injury directly followed the negligent act.
Causation can also be present when a person is injured while reacting in a predictable way. For example, if someone swerves to avoid a reckless driver and crashes into a tree, the reckless driver may still be considered responsible for the injuries. This is because the injured person’s reaction was a natural and foreseeable result of the reckless driving.
When the chain of causation breaks
Sometimes, an unexpected event breaks the chain. These are known as intervening acts. If something happens after the initial accident that is unrelated and unforeseeable, it may cut off legal responsibility.
For example, if an ambulance crashes while taking a car accident victim to the hospital and the victim is further injured, the original driver may not be liable for those added injuries. The ambulance crash might be seen as an independent event.
Causation determines who is legally responsible for harm. If the chain is broken, the person who caused the first event may no longer be liable for all resulting injuries. Understanding this helps explain how legal responsibility is judged in complex injury cases. If you have been injured, it’s important to seek legal guidance.