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Simple English definitions for legal terms
immediate cause
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A quick definition of immediate cause:
An immediate cause is something that directly leads to a result. It is the last event in a chain of events that leads to something happening. For example, if a person falls down the stairs and breaks their leg, the immediate cause of the broken leg is the fall down the stairs. It is important to determine the immediate cause in order to understand what happened and who may be responsible for the result.A more thorough explanation:
Immediate cause refers to the last event in a chain of events that leads to a particular outcome. It may not necessarily be the primary cause, but it is the event that directly produces the result. For example, if a person falls down the stairs and breaks their leg, the immediate cause of the injury is the fall itself.
Other related terms include:
- But-for cause: The cause without which the event could not have occurred.
- Proximate cause: A cause that is legally sufficient to result in liability.
- Superseding cause: An intervening act or force that overrides the cause for which the original tortfeasor was responsible, thereby exonerating them from liability.
For example, if a person is driving recklessly and hits another car, causing injuries, the reckless driving is the proximate cause of the accident. However, if a tree falls on the car after the accident and causes further injuries, the falling tree may be considered a superseding cause that relieves the driver of liability for those additional injuries.