cumulative damage

[ˈkjuːmjələtɪv ˈdæmɪdʒ]
nounpl: cumulative damages
dano cumulativo
1. Harm or injury that accumulates over time through repeated incidents or continuous exposure, rather than from a single event
The cumulative damage from years of smoking finally caught up with his health.
O dano cumulativo de anos de tabagismo finalmente afetou sua saúde.
2. In legal contexts, damages awarded for injuries that have built up progressively over a period of time
The court awarded cumulative damage compensation for the workplace injuries sustained over a decade.
O tribunal concedeu indenização por dano cumulativo pelas lesões ocupacionais sofridas durante uma década.
3. In engineering and materials science, degradation that results from the combined effect of multiple stresses or loads applied over time
Cumulative damage from thermal cycling and mechanical stress led to the component's failure.
O dano cumulativo dos ciclos térmicos e do estresse mecânico levou à falha do componente.
The concept of cumulative damage is particularly relevant in Brazil's labor law and occupational health discussions, where workers' compensation claims often involve demonstrating harm accumulated over years of work. In the USA, this term is crucial in personal injury litigation and environmental law. The phrase is increasingly important in discussions of climate change impacts and chronic disease prevention in both cultures.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
accumulated damageprogressive damageincremental harmcompounding injuryaggregate damage
Antonyms / Antônimos
single incident damageacute damageimmediate injurypoint damage

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
dano cumulativo
Standard term used in legal, medical, and technical contexts
São Paulo
dano cumulativo
Common in business and industrial accident claims
Portugal
dano cumulativo
Used similarly in legal and technical Portuguese
Rio de Janeiro
dano cumulativo
Standard usage in occupational health discussions

Related Words

repetitive strain injurywear and tearlong-term effectsdegradationfatigue failurelatent damage

Related Idioms & Phrases

the straw that broke the camel's back
death by a thousand cuts
slow burn
wear down
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