Post hoc, ergo propter hoc

Three cases are described in which patients sought damages for retinal deta chments that followed minor trauma. In fact, the traumatic incidents were n ot responsible for the detachments. Criteria for diagnosing traumatic retin al detachments are summarized, and ophthalmologists and attorneys are cauti oned to be wary of post hoc reasoning. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All r ights reserved.