Legal Definitions - vis impressa

Vis Impressa is a Latin term that means "impressed force". It refers to the original act of force that causes an injury, as opposed to the immediate force that directly causes the injury.

• When a car hits a pedestrian, the vis impressa is the force of the car hitting the person. The proximate force is the impact of the person's body hitting the ground.
• If a person falls off a ladder, the vis impressa is the force of the fall. The proximate force is the impact of the person's body hitting the ground.

These examples show that vis impressa is the initial force that causes an injury, while the proximate force is the immediate impact of the injury. Understanding the difference between these two forces can be important in determining liability in legal cases.