Alternative causation, unidentifiable tortfeasors, and group liability

Abstract

The analysis presented here deals with situations where the harm is caused by an unidentifiable member of a known group. While it is possible to identify the social segment that generated the harmful conduct, it is impossible to individualize such conduct, “hidden” as it is amidst the mass of individuals who form the group. This raises questions of whether group liability can exist absent the proper identification of the agent who caused the damages, and how to attribute causation and damages to his behavior.

Keywords

• alternative causation
• civil liability
• causal link
• contemporary doctrine