Causation and disease: Biomedical science in toxic tort litigation

Joshua Muscat, Michael S. Huncharek

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Inferences concerning the etiology of disease in human populations are derived from complex quantitative and biologic data. Interpreting these inferences in toxic tort litigation poses difficult problems for courts. Fundamental differences exist between courtroom and scientific criteria of causation. These differences need not be irreconcilable if courts understand the nature, strengths, and limitations of scientific evidence. We discuss the interpretation of basic scientific principles of disease causation in the context of legal rules of evidence, and develop an epidemiologic evidentiary standard for toxic tort litigation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)997-1002
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Occupational Medicine
Volume31
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1989

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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