title: Medical negligence. An overview of legal theory and neurosurgical practice: causation.
abstract: This article discusses the principles of the law in relation to legal causation as applied to neurosurgical practice. Causation is a causal link between a breach of duty of care and the final harm. The fundamental "but-for" test for causation will be discussed, together with Chester v Afshar modified causation, prospective and retrospective probabilities of harm, loss of a chance, causation following breach of duty of care by omission, breaking the chain of causation, material contribution and the law in relation to multiple defendants, with neurosurgical examples.
authors.affiliation: 180 Portland Road, Sandyford, Newcastle upon Tyne , UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Todd
mesh_terms: D015984:Causality; D006801:Humans; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
keywords: causation; medical negligence; negligence; neurosurgery