Consequences

Persons of sound mind are held to intend whatever are the natural and necessary consequences of their acts: they are supposed to know what these consequences will be. Experience has shown the rule to be a sound one, and one safe to be applied in criminal as well as in civil cases. Exceptions to it undoubtedly arise, as where the consequences likely to flow from the act are not matters of common knowledge, or where the act or the consequence is attended by circumstances tending to rebut the ordinary probative force of the act or to exculpate the intent of the agent.* The law does not undertake to charge a person with all the possible consequences of a wrongful act, but only with its probable and natural result; otherwise the punishment would often be disproportioned to the wrong, thereby impeding commerce and the ordinary business of life, and rendering the rule impracticable. Although the damages may arise remotely out of the cause of action, or be, to some extent, connected with it, yet if they do not flow naturally from it, or could not, in the ordinary course of events, have been expected to arise from it, they are not sufflciently proximate to authorize a recovery.* See Cause, 1; Deliberation; Intent; Negligence.

Consequential. See Cas Ei 3; Damages.