<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> An intervening cause is an event that occurs after a tortfeasor's initial act of negligence and causes injury / harm to a victim . An intervening cause will generally absolve the tortfeasor of liability for the victim's injury only if the event is deemed a superseding cause . A superseding cause is an unforeseeable intervening cause . By contrast, a foreseeable intervening cause typically does not break the chain of causality, meaning that the tortfeasor is still responsible for the victim's injury--unless the event leads to an unforeseeable result . </P> <P> For example, if a defendant had carelessly spilled gasoline near a pile of cigarette butts in an alley behind a bar, the fact that a bar patron later carelessly threw a cigarette butt into the gasoline would be deemed a foreseeable intervening cause, and would not absolve the defendant of tort liability . However, if the bar patron intentionally threw the cigarette butt into the gasoline because he wanted to see it ignite, this intentional act would likely be deemed unforeseeable, and therefore superseding . </P>

When may an intervening cause absolve a defendant of criminal responsibility