Legal Definitions - casus fortuitus

CASUS FORTUITUS

Casus fortuitus is a Latin term that means a fortuitous event or a loss that is not caused by human fault.

• A tree falling on a car during a storm is an example of casus fortuitus.
• If a fire breaks out in a building due to faulty wiring, it is not considered casus fortuitus because it was caused by human error.

The first example illustrates casus fortuitus because the falling tree was an unexpected and uncontrollable event that caused damage to the car. The second example, on the other hand, was caused by human error and therefore cannot be considered casus fortuitus.