Which action breaks the chain of events and sets off a new chain of events?

The action that breaks the chain of events and sets off a new chain of events is known as an intervening cause. When an intervening cause occurs, it effectively interrupts the original sequence of events that led to a particular incident, establishing a new set of circumstances. This can significantly impact the outcome of liability assessments in legal contexts by introducing unforeseen factors that can change the trajectory of events.

For example, if a driver is negligent by running a stop sign, but a pedestrian then unexpectedly runs into the street, causing an accident, the pedestrian's actions could be considered an intervening cause. This interruption might lead to a different evaluation of liability because it was not a direct continuation of the original negligent act.

In contrast, contributory negligence and comparative negligence refer to the ways in which a claimant’s own negligence can affect their recovery from damages but do not inherently break the chain of events. Assumption of risk involves acknowledging the risks of a situation and agreeing to participate despite those risks, which also does not alter the sequence of events in a causal manner. Thus, focusing on the concept of intervening causes provides a critical understanding of how legal assessments determine causation and liability in various scenarios.