LDAM — Liability Determination & Attachment Module
LDAM — Liability Determination & Attachment Module
Architecture: LIGA™ — Liability Governance Architecture
Parent Standard: Liability Determination Standard (LDS)
Category: Governance & Enforcement
Subcategory: Liability Governance
Type: Core Module
Governed Space: Liability Determination & Attachment
Module ID: LIGA-LDS-LDAM-001
Origin ID: OOF.CM.LIGA.07.03.01
Version: 1.0
Status: Canonical · Open Standard
Effective Date: 23 September 2026
Compatibility: OOF® Methodology OS™ · Modular OOF® Architecture Ecosystem
AI-Readable: Yes
Authority: OOF® — OriginOpen® Foundation
Protection: MIP® — Methodological Intellectual Property
Canonical Language: English (UCL™)
Canonical Definition
The Liability Determination & Attachment Module (LDAM) governs how a Governed Liability Determination Evaluation is converted into an explicit Liability Attachment Determination and corresponding Liability Determination State.
LDAM determines whether Liability attaches within the defined Determination Object and Scope, to which Liability Subject or Liability Relationship that Attachment applies, under which Governed Liability Basis it attaches, and the governed state of any determination that cannot be conclusively established.
LDAM is the point in LIGA™ at which potential Liability may become governed Attached Liability.
It does not determine the extent or distribution of Attached Liability.
It governs the transition:
Governed Liability Determination Evaluation → Attachment Readiness → Attachment Determination → Determination State → Governed Liability Attachment State Its foundational distinction is:
Potential Liability ≠ Attached Liability.
Operational Role
The operational role of LDAM is:
to make the explicit governed determination of whether Liability attaches after the relevant Liability structure has been formed and evaluated.
LDIM establishes the Determination Inputs.
LDEM evaluates those inputs.
LDAM makes the Attachment Determination.
It must not reconstruct or silently replace the upstream evaluation merely to produce a preferred outcome.
Position in the Parent Standard Flow
The internal LDS progression is:
Liability Determination Input → Liability Determination Evaluation → Liability Determination & Attachment → Liability Determination Rationale → Liability Determination Versioning LDAM governs:
Liability Determination & Attachment
Its principal input is:
Governed Liability Determination Evaluation
Its principal output is:
Governed Liability Attachment State
Its handoff is:
Governed Liability Attachment State → Liability Determination Rationale Governance
Central Operational Question
Given the Governed Liability Determination Evaluation, does Liability attach within the defined Determination Scope, and what explicit Attachment State must be established?
Attachment as a Governed Transition
Liability Attachment is not presumed merely because:
a Liability Basis exists, Conditions are satisfied, a Connection is qualified, Harm exists, a Breach occurred, Responsibility exists, or an Evaluation supports Attachment.
Attachment requires an explicit governed Determination.
The canonical transition is:
Potential Liability → Governed Evaluation → Attachment Determination → Liability Attachment State
Attachment Readiness
Before making an Attachment Determination, LDAM should confirm that the Governed Liability Determination Evaluation is sufficiently complete for the defined decision.
Attachment Readiness requires that the relevant:
Determination Object, Determination Scope, Liability Basis, Subject or Relationship, Conditions, Connection Structure, Evaluation State, material uncertainty, and unresolved conflicts are sufficiently explicit.
Evaluation Sufficiency
LDAM should not confuse a positive Evaluation with a sufficiently governed Evaluation.
A negative, uncertain, or disputed Evaluation may still be methodologically complete enough for a corresponding Determination State.
Therefore:
Evaluation Sufficiency ≠ Support for Attachment.
Attachment Object
Every Attachment Determination should identify exactly what Liability is being determined and to whom or what the Determination applies.
Attachment should remain associated with the relevant:
Liability Subject, Liability Relationship, Governed Liability Object, Liability Basis, and Determination Scope.
Subject-Specific Attachment
Liability Attachment should be Subject-specific where multiple Subjects participate.
Therefore:
Liability Attached to Subject A ≠ Liability Attached to Subject B.
A shared event does not create shared Attachment automatically.
Relationship-Specific Attachment
A Subject may participate in multiple Liability Relationships.
Attachment under one Relationship does not automatically attach Liability under another.
Therefore:
Attachment under Relationship A ≠ Attachment under Relationship B.
Basis-Specific Attachment
Attachment should preserve the Liability Basis under which it was determined.
A Subject may have Liability attached under one Basis and not another.
Therefore:
Attachment under Basis A ≠ Attachment under Basis B.
Object-Specific Attachment
Attachment should remain associated with the relevant Governed Liability Object.
Therefore:
Attachment concerning Object A ≠ Attachment concerning Object B.
Attachment State
LDAM should produce an explicit governed Attachment State.
The state must not remain implied only through narrative language.
Canonical Attachment States may include:
Attached
Not Attached
Partially Determined
Pending
Unknown
Uncertain
Disputed
Attached
Attached means the governed Evaluation sufficiently supports the determination that Liability exists within the defined Determination Scope under the applicable Liability Basis.
Attached establishes Liability existence for the governed inquiry.
It does not establish its complete extent or allocation.
Therefore:
Attached Liability ≠ Scoped Liability.
Attached Liability ≠ Allocated Liability.
Not Attached
Not Attached means Liability does not attach within the defined Determination Scope under the evaluated Liability Basis.
This state must remain bounded.
Therefore:
Not Attached under Basis A ≠ No Liability under every Basis.
And:
Not Attached to Subject A ≠ No Liability for Subject B.
Partially Determined
Partially Determined means part of the Attachment question can be governed while another material part remains unresolved.
It must not be used to perform downstream Liability Allocation prematurely.
Therefore:
Partially Determined Liability ≠ Partially Allocated Liability.
Pending
Pending means an Attachment Determination cannot yet be completed because a material governed dependency remains unresolved.
Therefore:
Pending ≠ Attached.
Pending ≠ Not Attached.
Unknown
Unknown means the available governed structure cannot establish whether Liability attaches.
Therefore:
Unknown ≠ Not Attached.
Unknown preserves absence of sufficient knowledge rather than converting it into a negative Determination.
Uncertain
Uncertain means the Attachment Determination can be represented only with material unresolved uncertainty.
Therefore:
Uncertain ≠ Unknown.
Disputed
Disputed means materially competing governed Attachment positions remain unresolved.
LDAM should preserve the dispute rather than manufacture a single conclusion.
Therefore:
Disputed ≠ Attached by default.
Disputed ≠ Not Attached by default.
Attachment Threshold
Where the applicable methodology defines an Attachment threshold, that threshold should be explicit.
LDAM must not invent a universal Liability threshold.
Different Liability Bases, governance systems, competent authorities, or applicable methodologies may require different thresholds.
Threshold Integrity
The Attachment threshold should be established before the final outcome is selected.
Therefore:
Desired Outcome ≠ Attachment Threshold.
A threshold should not be raised or lowered merely to obtain a preferred Liability result.
Evaluation State to Attachment State
The Evaluation State informs Attachment but should not be collapsed into it.
For example:
Supports Attachment
may support:
Attached
but the two states remain distinct governance objects.
Therefore:
Supports Attachment ≠ Attached Liability.
No Automatic Attachment
LDAM prohibits automatic Attachment merely from the presence of a single Liability-relevant element.
In particular:
Harm ≠ Liability Attachment Fault ≠ Liability Attachment Breach ≠ Liability Attachment Responsibility ≠ Liability Attachment Accountability ≠ Liability Attachment Control ≠ Liability Attachment Ownership ≠ Liability Attachment Operational Causation ≠ Liability Attachment Qualified Liability Connection ≠ Liability Attachment Claim ≠ Liability Attachment Evidence ≠ Liability Attachment
Multi-Subject Attachment
One occurrence may produce different Attachment States for different Subjects.
For example:
Subject A → Attached Subject B → Not Attached Subject C → Pending Subject D → Disputed These states should remain separate.
Therefore:
One Occurrence ≠ One Liability Attachment State.
Multi-Relationship Attachment
A Liability Network may contain several Liability Relationships.
Each materially distinct Relationship may require its own Attachment Determination.
Therefore:
One Subject ≠ One Universal Attachment State.
Multi-Basis Attachment
Where several Liability Bases apply, LDAM should preserve the Attachment Determination for each materially distinct Basis.
A positive Determination under one Basis does not automatically establish Attachment under another.
Liability Network Attachment
Complex matters may produce a network of Attachment Determinations.
LDAM should preserve the relationship among those determinations without collapsing them into one universal state.
Therefore:
Local Attachment ≠ Complete Liability Network Determination.
Attachment and Liability Scope
LDAM determines whether Liability attaches.
It does not determine:
how far Liability extends, which losses or obligations fall within it, what quantitative or qualitative extent applies, or what boundaries define its substantive scope.
Those questions belong to LSAS.
Therefore:
Liability Attachment ≠ Liability Scope.
Attachment and Allocation
LDAM does not determine how Attached Liability is distributed among multiple Subjects or Relationships.
Therefore:
Liability Attachment ≠ Liability Allocation.
Allocation belongs to LSAS.
Attachment and Liability State
The Attachment State establishes the initial governed existence state of Liability.
Ongoing Liability State governance belongs later to LSCS.
Therefore:
Attachment State ≠ Complete Liability State Lifecycle.
Attachment and Transfer
Attachment does not determine whether Liability may subsequently be:
transferred, shared, insured, indemnified, succeeded, or subject to recourse.
These belong downstream.
Therefore:
Primary Attachment ≠ Transfer or Recourse Determination.
Attachment and Resolution
Attached Liability may later be:
satisfied, settled, discharged, resolved, or otherwise cease requiring active performance.
Attachment does not govern those outcomes.
Therefore:
Liability Attachment ≠ Liability Resolution.
Attachment and Finality
Attachment occurs substantially before Liability Finality.
Therefore:
Liability Attachment ≠ Liability Finality.
The Liability lifecycle continues after Attachment.
Attachment Time
LDAM should preserve the time at which the Attachment Determination is made.
Where materially relevant, it should also distinguish the time at which Liability is determined to have become effective.
Therefore:
Determination Time ≠ Attachment-Effective Time by default.
Retrospective Attachment
A Determination made at T2 may establish that Liability attached at T1.
Both times should remain explicit.
The later Determination must not erase the historical distinction between:
when Liability became effective, when relevant information became known, and when Attachment was determined.
Prospective Attachment
Where a methodology permits prospective Attachment states, their prospective character and dependencies must remain explicit.
A prospective state should not be represented as historical Attachment.
Conditional Attachment
Where the applicable methodology permits a conditional Attachment state, the relevant condition should remain explicit.
Conditional Attachment must not be represented as unconditional Attachment.
Attachment Authority
Where the Attachment Determination is made by a particular:
authority, institution, methodological process, human evaluator, automated system, or combined process, that origin should remain identifiable.
Methodological Attachment
LDAM produces a methodological governance determination within LIGA™.
It does not create jurisdiction-specific adjudicative authority.
Therefore:
LIGA™ Attachment Determination ≠ Court Judgment.
External Authority Determination
A court, regulator, arbitrator, insurer, contractual authority, or another competent institution may make an external Liability determination.
LIGA™ may represent that determination and its authority state without replacing it.
Conflicting Attachment Determinations
Different competent authorities or governed processes may produce different Attachment Determinations.
LDAM should preserve:
the issuing authority, scope, Basis, time, state, and conflict.
Therefore:
Conflicting Attachment Determinations ≠ Authority to Invent Consensus.
Automated Attachment Determination
An AI or automated system may participate in Attachment Determination where appropriately authorized and governed.
The process should preserve:
system identity, methodology, input version, Evaluation version, decision rules, authority, output, and traceability.
Therefore:
AI Conclusion ≠ Governed Liability Attachment by default.
Human Attachment Determination
Human involvement does not by itself make Attachment governed.
The determination should still preserve:
scope, inputs, evaluation, method, authority, state, and traceability.
Therefore:
Human Decision ≠ Governed Attachment by default.
Attachment Record
Every material Attachment Determination should produce an explicit record.
The record should preserve at minimum:
Attachment identity, Determination Object, Determination Scope, Subject or Relationship, Liability Basis, Evaluation reference, Attachment State, Determination time, Attachment-effective time where different, authority, and provenance.
Attachment Identity
Each materially distinct Attachment Determination should possess a stable identity.
This identity should support:
rationale, versioning, Scope & Allocation, state change, transfer, resolution, continuity, and historical reconstruction.
Attachment Traceability
The Attachment State should be traceable backward to the Governed Liability Determination Evaluation.
Through that Evaluation, the Attachment should remain reconstructable through the complete upstream LIGA™ structure.
Therefore:
Untraceable Attachment ≠ Fully Governed Attachment.
Attachment Change
An Attachment Determination may later change because:
the Evaluation changes, an upstream input changes, new information appears, an error is corrected, or a competent authority changes the applicable determination.
Change should not erase history.
Attachment Correction
Where an Attachment State was incorrectly recorded or determined, it may be corrected.
The correction should preserve:
the earlier state, corrected state, reason, time, and provenance.
Therefore:
Attachment Correction ≠ Historical Erasure.
Attachment Reassessment
Attachment may be reassessed after material changes without implying that the earlier determination was necessarily invalid when made.
Therefore:
Attachment Reassessment ≠ Attachment Correction.
Attachment Reversal
A later governed Determination may reverse an earlier Attachment State.
For example:
Attached → Not Attached or:
Not Attached → Attached.
The prior state should remain historically reconstructable.
Therefore:
Attachment Reversal ≠ Erasure of Prior Attachment State.
Attachment Re-Entry
Later lifecycle stages may reveal that Attachment must be revisited.
LDAM should support targeted re-entry while preserving the earlier determination.
Therefore:
Attachment Re-Entry ≠ New Liability Origin by default.
Upstream Re-Entry
Where Attachment cannot be determined because an upstream structure is defective, LDAM should return the matter to the earliest materially affected governance space.
Examples:
Evaluation defect → LDEM Input defect → LDIM Connection defect → LCNS Condition defect → LCOS Relationship defect → LRS Basis defect → LBS Object defect → LOS Context defect → LCS The governing rule is:
Re-enter the earliest materially affected governance space.
Historical Integrity
LDAM should preserve the distinction between:
what the Liability-relevant reality was, what was known, what was evaluated, what was determined, and what was later changed.
Therefore:
Current Attachment State ≠ Complete Attachment History.
Attachment Sufficiency
An Attachment Determination is sufficiently governed when:
the Determination Object is explicit, the Determination Scope is bounded, the applicable Liability Basis is explicit, the relevant Subject or Relationship is explicit, the Governed Liability Determination Evaluation is sufficiently complete, material uncertainty and conflict are preserved, the Attachment State is explicit, the Attachment authority is identifiable where applicable, the relevant times are preserved, and the Attachment is traceable to the Evaluation.
Attachment Sufficiency and Liability Finality
A sufficiently governed Attachment Determination is ready for subsequent LDS rationale governance and ultimately Scope & Allocation.
It is not a final Liability lifecycle state.
Therefore:
Attachment Sufficiency ≠ Liability Finality.
Minimum Implementation Framework
A conforming implementation of LDAM must provide exactly the following eight capabilities:
Attachment Readiness Governance
Capability to determine whether the Governed Liability Determination Evaluation is sufficiently complete and bounded for an Attachment Determination.
Attachment Object, Subject, Relationship & Basis Governance
Capability to associate each Attachment Determination explicitly with the correct Determination Object, Subject, Liability Relationship, Governed Liability Object, Liability Basis, and Determination Scope.
Attachment Threshold & Decision Governance
Capability to apply the applicable governed Attachment threshold or decision rule without outcome-driven modification or unauthorized substitution.
Liability Attachment State Governance
Capability to establish and distinguish Attached, Not Attached, Partially Determined, Pending, Unknown, Uncertain, Disputed, and other legitimately defined Attachment States.
Multi-Subject, Multi-Relationship & Multi-Basis Attachment Governance
Capability to preserve distinct Attachment Determinations across multiple Subjects, Relationships, Objects, Bases, and Liability Network structures without collapsing them into one universal outcome.
Attachment Authority, Time & Traceability Governance
Capability to preserve Attachment authority, Determination time, Attachment-effective time where different, Evaluation reference, provenance, and reconstructable traceability.
Attachment Change, Correction, Reassessment & Re-Entry
Capability to govern Attachment changes, corrections, reversals, reassessments, historical states, and targeted lifecycle re-entry without historical erasure.
Attachment Handoff Governance
Capability to produce a Governed Liability Attachment State sufficiently explicit and traceable for Liability Determination Rationale governance without prematurely determining Liability Scope or Allocation.
Governance Logic
The canonical LDAM governance logic is:
Governed Liability Determination Evaluation
↓
Confirm Attachment Readiness
↓
Confirm Determination Object & Scope
↓
Confirm Subject / Relationship / Object
↓
Confirm Applicable Liability Basis
↓
Confirm Evaluation State
↓
Preserve Material Conflict & Uncertainty
↓
Apply Applicable Attachment Threshold / Decision Rule
↓
Determine Liability Attachment State
↓
Associate Attachment with Subject / Relationship / Basis
↓
Record Authority & Time
↓
Preserve Traceability
↓
Assess Attachment Sufficiency
↓
Governed Liability Attachment State
↓
Handoff to Liability Determination Rationale Governance
Governance Outputs
LDAM may produce:
Liability Attachment Identity
Attachment Object
Attachment Subject Association
Attachment Relationship Association
Attachment Basis Association
Attachment Evaluation Reference
Attached State
Not Attached State
Partially Determined State
Pending Attachment State
Unknown Attachment State
Uncertain Attachment State
Disputed Attachment State
Attachment Threshold Record
Attachment Authority Record
Attachment Determination Time
Attachment-Effective Time
Attachment Conflict Record
Attachment Uncertainty Record
Attachment Trace Record
Attachment Correction Record
Attachment Reassessment Record
Attachment Reversal Record
Historical Attachment Record
Attachment Sufficiency State
The principal output is:
Governed Liability Attachment State
Critical Distinctions
LDAM preserves the following distinctions:
Potential Liability ≠ Attached Liability Liability Determination Evaluation ≠ Liability Attachment Determination Evaluation Sufficiency ≠ Support for Attachment Liability Attached to Subject A ≠ Liability Attached to Subject B Attachment under Relationship A ≠ Attachment under Relationship B Attachment under Basis A ≠ Attachment under Basis B Attachment concerning Object A ≠ Attachment concerning Object B Attached Liability ≠ Scoped Liability Attached Liability ≠ Allocated Liability Not Attached under Basis A ≠ No Liability under every Basis Not Attached to Subject A ≠ No Liability for Subject B Partially Determined Liability ≠ Partially Allocated Liability Pending ≠ Attached Pending ≠ Not Attached Unknown ≠ Not Attached Uncertain ≠ Unknown Disputed ≠ Attached by default Disputed ≠ Not Attached by default Desired Outcome ≠ Attachment Threshold Supports Attachment ≠ Attached Liability Harm ≠ Liability Attachment Fault ≠ Liability Attachment Breach ≠ Liability Attachment Responsibility ≠ Liability Attachment Accountability ≠ Liability Attachment Control ≠ Liability Attachment Ownership ≠ Liability Attachment Operational Causation ≠ Liability Attachment Qualified Liability Connection ≠ Liability Attachment Claim ≠ Liability Attachment Evidence ≠ Liability Attachment One Occurrence ≠ One Liability Attachment State One Subject ≠ One Universal Attachment State Local Attachment ≠ Complete Liability Network Determination Liability Attachment ≠ Liability Scope Liability Attachment ≠ Liability Allocation Attachment State ≠ Complete Liability State Lifecycle Primary Attachment ≠ Transfer or Recourse Determination Liability Attachment ≠ Liability Resolution Liability Attachment ≠ Liability Finality Determination Time ≠ Attachment-Effective Time by default LIGA™ Attachment Determination ≠ Court Judgment Conflicting Attachment Determinations ≠ Authority to Invent Consensus AI Conclusion ≠ Governed Liability Attachment by default Human Decision ≠ Governed Attachment by default Untraceable Attachment ≠ Fully Governed Attachment Attachment Correction ≠ Historical Erasure Attachment Reassessment ≠ Attachment Correction Attachment Reversal ≠ Erasure of Prior Attachment State Attachment Re-Entry ≠ New Liability Origin by default Current Attachment State ≠ Complete Attachment History Attachment Sufficiency ≠ Liability Finality
Cross-Architecture Boundary
LDAM may rely on governed states originating from other OOF® architectures through the upstream Liability Determination structure.
Those states remain governed by their originating architectures.
For example:
ORA™ governs Operational Reality.
HAGA™ governs Harm.
AGA™ governs Responsibility and Accountability.
GOA™ governs Authority and related governance structures.
ADIT® governs evidence and auditability.
VALIDOS™ governs validation.
OBIDENITY® governs Identity and related origin-bound governance.
AIG® and ASGA™ govern AI and autonomous-system governance states.
PGA™ governs Prediction.
SIMULOS® governs Simulation.
LDAM does not convert any of those states directly into Liability.
Its governance question remains exclusively:
Does Liability attach within the established LIGA™ Determination structure?
The canonical interoperability principle is:
An externally governed state may contribute to Liability Attachment Determination without becoming Liability itself and without transferring governance ownership of its original domain to LIGA™.
Canonical Boundary
LDAM begins with a:
Governed Liability Determination Evaluation
and governs the explicit transition from evaluated potential Liability to a governed Liability Attachment State.
LDAM governs:
Attachment Readiness, Attachment Object, Attachment Subject, Attachment Relationship, Attachment Basis, Attachment Threshold, Attachment Decision, Attachment State, multi-Subject Attachment, multi-Relationship Attachment, multi-Basis Attachment, Attachment Authority, Attachment Time, Attachment Traceability, Attachment Change, Correction, Reassessment, Reversal, Re-Entry, Historical Integrity, and Attachment Sufficiency.
LDAM does not govern:
formation of Determination Inputs, substantive Determination Evaluation, complete Determination Rationale governance, Determination Versioning, Liability Scope, Liability Allocation, ongoing Liability State & Change, Liability Transfer, Recourse, Resolution, Discharge, or Finality.
LDAM ends when a:
Governed Liability Attachment State
is sufficiently explicit for Liability Determination Rationale governance.
Use Case 1 — Autonomous System Attachment
An autonomous industrial system performs an action followed by equipment damage.
LDEM has produced a Governed Liability Determination Evaluation for the relevant operator relationship.
The Evaluation supports Attachment under the applicable Liability Basis and preserves the relevant Condition and Connection states.
LDAM confirms the Evaluation is sufficiently governed, identifies the relevant Subject and Liability Relationship, applies the applicable Attachment rule, and establishes:
Attached
for that defined Determination.
The result does not determine how extensive the Liability is or how it should be allocated among other Subjects.
Those questions remain downstream.
Use Case 2 — Multi-Party Attachment Structure
An industrial incident involves an owner, operator, maintenance provider, and component producer.
LDEM produces separate governed Evaluations.
LDAM may establish:
Operator → Attached Maintenance Provider → Attached Component Producer → Pending Owner → Not Attached under the evaluated Basis These are separate Attachment Determinations.
LDAM does not infer equal Liability from the shared event and does not allocate Liability between the attached Subjects.
It preserves the resulting Attachment structure for subsequent LDS governance and later Scope & Allocation.
Canonical Closing Statement
Liability does not attach merely because a Basis exists, Conditions are satisfied, a Connection is qualified, Harm occurred, or an Evaluation supports Attachment.
Attachment must itself be an explicit governed Determination.
LDAM creates that transition.
It converts evaluated potential Liability into an explicit Attachment State while preserving the Subject, Relationship, Basis, Object, scope, authority, time, uncertainty, and traceability of the Determination.
It does not determine how extensive Liability is or how it should be distributed.
Potential Liability becomes Attached Liability only through an explicit governed Attachment Determination.
Determine Attachment before governing Scope and Allocation.