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Simple English definitions for legal terms
nova causa interveniens
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A quick definition of nova causa interveniens:
Nova causa interveniens is a legal term that refers to an event that happens between the initial event and the end result, which changes the natural course of events that could have connected a wrongful act to an injury. If the intervening cause is strong enough to relieve the wrongdoer of any liability, it becomes a superseding cause. A dependent intervening cause is one that is not an act and is never a superseding cause. An independent intervening cause is one that operates on a condition produced by an antecedent cause but in no way resulted from that cause.A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Nova Causa Interveniens refers to an event that comes between the initial event in a sequence and the end result, thereby altering the natural course of events that might have connected a wrongful act to an injury. If the intervening cause is strong enough to relieve the wrongdoer of any liability, it becomes a superseding cause.
Example: A driver hits a pedestrian who is crossing the road. The pedestrian is taken to the hospital and is being treated for his injuries. However, while in the hospital, the pedestrian falls from his bed and suffers further injuries. The fall is a nova causa interveniens because it came between the initial event (the driver hitting the pedestrian) and the end result (the pedestrian's injuries). If the fall was strong enough to relieve the driver of any liability, it would become a superseding cause.
This example illustrates how a nova causa interveniens can alter the natural course of events and affect liability in a legal case.