What is an Act of God?
An Act of God is “an act, event, happening, or occurrence, which occurred due to natural causes and inevitable accident, or disaster; a natural and inevitable necessity which implies entire exclusion of all human agency which operates without interference or aid from man and which results from natural causes and is in no sense attributable to human agency.” (Black’s Law Dictionary 43. 4th Ed. Rev. 1968)
The term, “Act of God” does not have any religious connotation in a legal sense. It simply refers to any event that is reasonably shown to be unpredictable and occurring outside of human involvement, such as damage from floods, lightning, hurricanes, or storms.
Events that are considered Acts of God are important in many civil cases. A party may not be considered liable for injuries or damages that occur due to unforeseeable events or circumstances as long as they could not have been prevented through reasonable care. Similarly, damages incurred by Acts of God are typically not considered to be breaches of contract. Rulings in cases such as The People v. Tubbs have determined that Acts of God may not only be limited to weather or natural disasters, but also unforeseeable injuries, illnesses, or deaths in humans. There is some debate as to whether defenses under Acts of God can continue as natural occurrences become more predictable, though such defenses continue to be utilized.
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Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers
A bad faith insurance attorney knows the unfair tactics insurers use, like delaying or denying valid insurance claims and refusing to pay reasonable settlements. When an insurer violates its obligations, our award-winning insurance claim lawyers fight to hold them accountable.
Over 65 years, Munley Law has built a reputation as one of the top personal injury firms in the nation, and that experience becomes your advantage when an insurer acts in bad faith. Our team has won settlements worth over $1 billion, including $12 million for a bad faith insurance action. We have also been recognized nationally by authorities like Best Lawyers, Lawdragon, and Super Lawyers, and hold nearly a dozen board certifications from the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
We know how to investigate unfair claim handling, gather the evidence needed to challenge improper denials, work with industry experts, and push back against tactics designed to delay or underpay your claim. […]
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Personal Injury Glossary Terms
This glossary provides a quick-access resource for looking up definitions of terms you will likely encounter while seeking compensation.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W
A
Accident Report — A detailed official record of an incident created on-site by an authority figure such as a police officer or hospital staff member.
Act of God — An unforeseen event caused by natural forces without human involvement that couldn’t have been prevented with reasonable care, […]
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