Cause vs Contributing Factor
Definition
In failure analysis, the cause is the primary physical event or deficiency that initiated the failure. Contributing factors are conditions or actions that affected the likelihood or severity without being the initiating event. The legal standard for causation may differ from the engineering technical analysis.
- Cause
- Primary physical event or deficiency that initiated the failure
- Contributing factor
- Condition or action affecting likelihood or severity
- Field
- Forensic engineering, failure analysis
- Note
- Legal causation standard can differ from engineering analysis
Common questions
Why does the legal definition of cause sometimes diverge from the engineering one?+
Legal causation asks what a court will hold responsible under a given liability standard, which can fold in foreseeability, duty of care or comparative fault, whereas an engineer identifies the physical initiating event independent of who should bear responsibility for it.
Can a contributing factor become legally significant even if it is not the technical cause?+
Yes, a party's failure to address a known contributing factor, such as inadequate maintenance or a bypassed safety interlock, can carry legal weight even when the engineering analysis identifies a different event as the actual initiating cause of the failure.
Related terms
- Forensic Engineering
- The application of engineering knowledge and scientific method to investigate failures, accidents, and technical disputes that require resolution in legal, insurance, or...
- NAFE
- The National Academy of Forensic Engineers, a US organisation whose membership is restricted to licensed professional engineers with substantial forensic casework experience....
- Professional Engineer (PE / CEng)
- A licensed engineering credential required in many jurisdictions to offer opinions on engineering matters in court. In the US, state licensure as...
- Retaining Party
- The lawyer, insurer, or client who engages a forensic engineer for a specific matter. The engineer owes accurate and objective opinions (not...
- Spoilation
- The destruction, loss, or alteration of evidence in litigation, whether intentional or negligent. Courts may impose sanctions including adverse inference instructions when...