causation
kaw-ZAY-shuhn
/kɔːˈzeɪ.ʃən/
The act or agency that causes an effect; the established causal link between wrongful conduct and harm.
In legal torts, causation requires establishing both 'factual causation' (but-for test) and 'proximate causation' (foreseeability).
The story behind the word. From Late Latin causatio, stemming from Latin causa ('reason, lawsuit, cause'). It entered English legal discourse to articulate the necessary link connecting a defendant's breach of duty to a plaintiff's injury.
Word relationships
- causality: Causality is the philosophical principle of cause and effect, whereas causation often denotes the operational connection in a legal or scientific case.
- coincidence: A coincidence is an accidental sequence of events without causal connection.
Commonly confused with
- correlation: Correlation shows two variables moving together; causation proves one variable directly brought about the other.
Word family
- cause (noun/verb): An agent that produces an effect / to bring about
- causal (adjective): Relating to or acting as a cause
Collocations
- proximate causation
- establish causation
- chain of causation
- factual causation
Example sentences
- "Although the company was negligent, the defense argued that there was no direct causation between their negligence and the plaintiff's loss." Tort litigation argument
- "Researchers conducted longitudinal studies to establish causation rather than mere statistical correlation." Scientific epidemiology
Memory hook
CAUSE + ATION = showing the direct CAUSE of an action. The legal bridge from action to injury.
When not to use
Do not confuse causation with correlation (two events occurring together without proof that one produced the other).
Fun facts
- The legal test for factual causation is known as the 'but-for' test: But for the defendant's action, would the injury have occurred?
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