Confusing cause and effect is one of the most common logical fallacies. It's a principal component of most propaganda. It's also known as the correlation/causation error, Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc or the false cause fallacy.
Loss Mitigation. Loss mitigation is a process used by mortgage lenders to work with buyers who are delinquent on their home loans. Through the loss mitigation process, a lender may modify the terms of a home loan, allowing the homeowner to sell the property for less than is owed, or transfer the deed back to the lender. The goals of loss mitigation are to reduce the potential loss being incurred by a lender when the borrower is delinquent.
Mitigation of Damages. The use of reasonable care and diligence in an effort to minimize or avoid injury. Under the mitigation of damages doctrine, a person who has suffered an injury or loss should take reasonable action, where possible, to avoid additional injury or loss. The failure of a plaintiff to take protective steps after suffering an injury or loss can reduce the amount of the plaintiff's recovery.