# General vs. Specific Causation

> General causation asks whether a substance can cause a particular injury; specific causation asks whether it did cause that injury in a particular plaintiff.

**Category:** Legal Theory
**Canonical URL:** https://drugsmonitor.com/glossary/causation-general-vs-specific
**Last updated:** 2026-06-11

Both general and specific causation must be proven in pharmaceutical product liability cases. General causation is typically established through epidemiological studies, animal studies, and the pharmacological mechanism of action.

Specific causation requires evidence that the drug actually caused the plaintiff's particular injury, considering alternative causes, the timing of exposure, and the plaintiff's medical history. Expert medical testimony is usually required.

Defendants often challenge both types of causation. A successful Daubert challenge to a plaintiff's general causation expert can be case-dispositive. Strong medical records and well-qualified experts are essential to meeting the causation burden.

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*Glossary entry from DrugsMonitor.com.*