In tort law, what is a proximate cause?

Proximate cause in tort law refers to a sufficiently close link between a defendant's act and the harm that results from that act. This concept helps establish the connection between the action taken (or not taken) and the injury that occurred. Essentially, proximate cause involves determining whether the harm was a foreseeable result of the defendant's conduct.

For instance, if a driver runs a red light and subsequently causes an accident, the act of running the red light is the proximate cause of any injuries arising from the accident, assuming those injuries were foreseeable. The law looks to the nature of the act and the resulting harm—if the consequences were inherently related and foreseeable, then the act is proximate.

The other options, while relevant concepts in tort law, do not define proximate cause. The actual harm suffered refers to the injury itself, while a legal duty owed pertains to the obligations established by law for the behavior of each party. The negligence of another party could contribute to a case but doesn’t define the relationship needed for proximate cause. Thus, the definition and application of proximate cause focus specifically on the link between the act and the resultant harm.