疫學因果關係於我國公害訴訟實務之運用

Epidemiologic Causation in Toxic Tort Litigation in Taiwan

近年來，我國公害事件問題逐漸浮上檯面，因此公害訴訟也隨之產生。然而，當公害事件之受害者提起公害訴訟後卻面臨重重困境，其中面臨的難題之一就是受害者（原告）對侵害者（被告）依民法侵權行為規定提起訴訟，卻難以證明侵害者之行為與受害者產生疾病（損害）間具有因果關係。因此，為處理公害訴訟案件之難題，有實務判決開始援引疫學因果關係來調整原被告舉證責任。本文嘗試系統性歸納與整理此一發展，首先介紹公害訴訟案件之定義、特性及其困境，進一步介紹疫學與疫學因果概念之內涵，並整理我國目前有援引疫學因果關係作為判決之實務見解，最後提出疫學因果關係適用上可能面臨的問題，並提出本文之見解，期待疫學之因果關係於我國實務之適用，將來能有進一步發展。

In recent years, toxic tort litigation has increasingly emerged as a viable legal response to environmental pollutions in Taiwan. However, plaintiffs, i.e., victims of environmental pollutions, often face various legal hurdles in such litigation, one of which is the difficulty faced by plaintiffs in proving causation between the actions of the defendant and the injuries suffered by the plaintiffs. In response, various court decisions in Taiwan have begun incorporating the idea of epidemiological causation to adjust the burden of proof between plaintiffs and defendants as a potential remedy. This article examines this developing trend. It first introduces the definition, characteristics, and legal hurdles for toxic tort litigation in Taiwan, followed by an overview of the idea of epidemiological causation, as well as a compilation of court decisions adopting such idea of causation. Finally, the article lists several legal issues that the court may potentially encounter for adopting epidemiological causation. In conducting these analyses, the article attempts to expand existing jurisprudential understanding of the idea of epidemiological causation.