Proximate Cause Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Proximate Cause.

Proximate Cause (noun)

A proximate cause denotes the first event in a series of events that leads directly to an injury or damages. In the legal context, it is the immediate action or chain of events responsible for causing harm or damage. It indicates that if this event hadn't occurred, the injury or damage would not have happened. It plays an important role in determining legal liability for an event, particularly personal injury cases. This term is used to establish a direct link between a defendant’s actions and a plaintiff's injury in a court of law.