Legal Definitions - parum cavisse videtur

parum cavisse videtur

This Latin phrase, historically used in a legal context, translates to: "he seems to have taken too little care" or "he seems to have been incautious." It was a grave pronouncement, often made by a judge when delivering a severe sentence, implying that an individual's profound lack of caution or diligence directly led to a disastrous outcome.

• Example 1: A senior engineer was overseeing the construction of a new bridge. Despite receiving multiple warnings from junior staff about potential structural weaknesses in a specific design element, the engineer dismissed their concerns without conducting further stress tests or reviewing the calculations himself. Months after completion, a section of the bridge collapsed during a storm, causing significant damage and injuries.

  This situation illustrates parum cavisse videtur because the engineer "seems to have taken too little care" by neglecting to properly investigate serious warnings, demonstrating a critical incaution that directly led to a catastrophic failure.

• Example 2: A company manufacturing medical devices discovered a potential flaw in a batch of pacemakers during final quality checks. Instead of halting the shipment and recalling the devices for thorough inspection, the management decided to proceed with distribution, hoping the issue was minor and wouldn't manifest. Several patients who received these pacemakers later experienced malfunctions requiring emergency surgery.

  Here, the company's management "seems to have been incautious" by knowingly releasing a potentially faulty product without adequate care for patient safety, leading to severe health risks and demonstrating a profound lack of diligence.