Vis Impressa Law and Legal Definition
Vis impressa means immediate force; original force. This phrase is applied to cases of trespass when a question arises whether an injury has been caused by a direct force, or one which is indirect. When the original force, or vis impressa, had ceased to act before the injury commenced, then there is no force, the effect is mediate, and the proper remedy is trespass on the case. When the injury is the immediate consequence of the force or vis proxima, trespass vi et armis lies. [Ricker v. Freeman, 50 N.H. 420, 428 (N.H. 1870)]
