Legal Definitions - supervening cause

A supervening cause is an event that occurs after an initial event and contributes to the outcome of that event. It is also known as an intervening cause.

For example, if a person is driving a car and suddenly has a heart attack, causing them to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a tree, the heart attack would be considered a supervening cause. The initial event was the person driving the car, but the heart attack was an intervening event that led to the crash.

Another example could be a person slipping on a wet floor and breaking their arm. If it is later discovered that the floor was wet because someone spilled water and did not clean it up, the spill would be considered a supervening cause. The initial event was the person slipping, but the spill was an intervening event that contributed to the injury.

These examples illustrate how a supervening cause can change the outcome of an initial event. It is important to consider all factors that contribute to an event when determining liability or responsibility.