Legal Definitions - causation

In legal terms, causation refers to the necessary link between a specific action (or a failure to act) and a resulting harm, injury, or outcome. For someone to be held legally responsible, it must be proven that their conduct directly led to the consequences in question. The law often focuses on identifying the most significant or direct cause among potentially many contributing factors.

• Example 1: Personal Injury Claim

  Imagine a situation where a pedestrian is crossing the street at a marked crosswalk. A driver, distracted by their phone, fails to stop at the red light and hits the pedestrian, causing a broken leg.

  How it illustrates causation: The driver's negligent action (failing to stop due to distraction) is the direct cause of the collision, which in turn directly caused the pedestrian's broken leg. Without the driver's action, the injury would not have occurred, establishing the causal link.

• Example 2: Breach of Contract

  A software development company agrees to deliver a custom application to a client by a specific date. Due to the company's internal mismanagement and missed deadlines, the application is delivered three months late, causing the client to lose out on significant revenue from planned product launches.

  How it illustrates causation: The software company's breach of contract (failing to deliver on time due to mismanagement) directly caused the delay in the client's product launches. This delay, in turn, directly caused the client's financial loss. The company's failure to perform as agreed is the cause of the client's damages.

• Example 3: Criminal Law (Assault)

  During a heated argument, one person intentionally pushes another, causing them to stumble backward, fall down a short flight of stairs, and suffer a concussion.

  How it illustrates causation: The act of intentionally pushing the person is the direct cause of their fall down the stairs. The fall, in turn, directly caused the concussion. The push is the causal link to the injury, which is a necessary element to prove the crime of assault causing bodily harm.