Legal Definitions - primary cause

Primary Cause refers to the main and legally recognized reason for an injury, damage, or harm. It is the direct and essential factor that sets in motion a chain of events leading to the negative outcome, such that without this specific action or inaction, the harm would not have occurred. While there might be multiple contributing factors, the primary cause is the one deemed most significant in directly bringing about the result.

• Example 1 (Traffic Accident): A commercial truck driver, while operating their vehicle, becomes distracted by a text message and swerves into an adjacent lane without signaling, colliding with a passenger car. The collision causes significant damage to both vehicles and injuries to the occupants of the passenger car.

  Explanation: The truck driver's distracted driving and illegal lane change are considered the the primary cause of the accident. Without this specific negligent action, the collision and the resulting injuries and property damage would not have occurred.

• Example 2 (Workplace Safety): A manufacturing company fails to properly maintain a piece of heavy machinery, neglecting to replace a worn-out safety guard despite repeated warnings from employees. An employee subsequently suffers a severe hand injury when their hand gets caught in the unguarded part of the machine during operation.

  Explanation: The manufacturing company's failure to maintain the machinery and replace the safety guard is the primary cause of the employee's injury. Even though the employee was operating the machine, the injury would likely have been prevented had the company fulfilled its duty to provide a safe working environment and properly maintained equipment.

• Example 3 (Product Liability): A consumer purchases a new electric kettle. Due to a defect in the kettle's internal wiring from the manufacturing process, the appliance overheats and catches fire during its first use, causing damage to the kitchen counter and cabinets.

  Explanation: The manufacturing defect in the kettle's wiring is the primary cause of the fire and the resulting property damage. The fire would not have occurred had the product been manufactured correctly and functioned as intended.