Intervening cause is a legal term that describes any event that interrupts a causal chain that might otherwise lead to liability. When considering if a sponsor or party should be held liable for the outcome of an event, a court might find that an intervening cause, one that happened between the possible tortfeasor and the injury of another person, should excuse the party from being subject to some legal responsibility.
Intervening Causes in Everyday Examples
An example of an intervening cause could be a car accident. A driver may have been driving recklessly, such as speeding, but a drunk driver crossed into their lane and the two drivers then collided. In this case, the court may find that the drunk driver’s actions are the intervening cause, absolving the first driver of any fault.
Another example might include a grocery store providing spoiled food to customers. While an illness among customers may initially appear to be due to the store’s negligent handling of food, this theory may be disproved if it is discovered that an area of contamination occurred between the time food left the store and when it was purchased. The new introduction of contamination constitutes the intervening cause, and the grocery store is not liable for any resulting illness.
Overall Impact of Intervening Cause
As these examples make clear, an intervening cause can significantly affect the outcome of a legal case. One party may be absolved of liability or face a reduced amount of responsibility. Knowing how to evaluate an intervening cause is important to determining fault in a variety of legal cases.