Casualty Loss Law and Legal Definition
The term casualty loss means “financial loss or loss of property arising from a sudden, unexpected event such as an accident.” However, damage or loss resulting from progressive deterioration of property through a steadily operating cause would not be a casualty loss. Events similar to “fire, storm, or shipwreck are included in casualty. Generally, it is held that wherever force is applied to property which the owner-taxpayer is either unaware of because of the hidden nature of such application or is powerless to act to prevent the same because of the suddenness thereof or some other disability and damage results. It would not include gradual damage from water seepage or erosion.
