Proximate Cause Doctrine

The Proximate Cause Doctrine is a legal principle used to determine whether a defendant’s actions are sufficiently connected to a plaintiff's injury to hold them legally responsible. It focuses on whether the harm was a foreseeable result of the defendant’s conduct. Essentially, it limits liability to those damages that are directly related to the defendant’s actions and not too remote or unrelated. This doctrine helps courts decide if the injury was a natural and direct outcome of the defendant's conduct, ensuring responsibility is fairly assigned without extending liability too broadly.