Legal Definitions - damnum emergens

Damnum emergens is a Latin term that means "damage arising." It refers to an actual loss that has already occurred, as opposed to a potential future loss.

For example, if someone's car is damaged in an accident, the cost of repairing the car is an example of damnum emergens. This is because the loss has already happened, and the person has to pay for the repairs.

Another example of damnum emergens is if a person's property decreases in value due to a natural disaster. The decrease in value is an actual loss that has already occurred.

It's important to note that damnum emergens is different from lucrum cessans, which refers to a loss of potential profits. For example, if a business has to close for a day due to a power outage, the potential profits lost during that day would be an example of lucrum cessans.