Causation

Definition

The legal and factual connection between a defendant's wrongful conduct and the plaintiff's injury. Causation requires both actual cause (but-for the defendant's conduct, the harm would not have occurred) and proximate cause (the harm was a foreseeable result of the defendant's conduct). In medical malpractice, establishing causation often requires expert testimony.

Examples

• •Proving that a surgeon's negligent technique directly caused the patient's injury, rather than a pre-existing condition

Related Terms