Adequate Causation (Adäquater Kausalzusammenhang)

Concept

Adequate causation is a key limiting criterion in liability law that legally narrows pure natural (scientific) causation. A cause is deemed adequately causal for a loss if, according to the ordinary course of events and general life experience, it is suited to bring about an outcome of the kind that occurred, or to substantially favour its occurrence, such that the outcome appears generally promoted by the cause.

Distinction from Natural Causation

While natural causation merely examines whether an event was a conditio sine qua non (necessary condition) for the loss, the adequacy test serves to exclude entirely improbable, far-fetched, or atypical chains of causation from legal liability. A loss is thus naturally, but not adequately, caused when it only occurs through a highly unusual sequence of circumstances.

Relevance for Claims Handling

Assessing adequacy is regularly a decisive, and often disputed, point when examining liability claims, particularly for indirect losses, consequential damage, or psychological impairments that only manifest a considerable time after the original loss event.