Legal Definitions - logical-cause doctrine

The logical-cause doctrine is a legal principle that states that if a plaintiff can prove that an injury occurred and can provide a logical cause for it, then the defendant cannot simply argue that there is another possible cause. Instead, the defendant must prove that the alternative cause is more likely than the cause presented by the plaintiff.

For example, if a person is injured in a car accident and can prove that the accident was caused by the defendant's reckless driving, the defendant cannot simply argue that the injury was caused by something else, such as a pre-existing medical condition. Instead, the defendant must provide evidence that the medical condition was the more likely cause of the injury.

Another example could be a slip and fall accident in a grocery store. If the plaintiff can prove that the accident was caused by a wet floor that the store failed to clean up, the store cannot simply argue that the plaintiff's own clumsiness caused the accident. Instead, the store must provide evidence that the plaintiff's clumsiness was the more likely cause of the accident.

These examples illustrate how the logical-cause doctrine requires defendants to provide evidence that an alternative cause is more likely than the cause presented by the plaintiff. This principle helps ensure that plaintiffs are not unfairly denied compensation for injuries caused by the negligence of others.