Proximate Cause

Defendant liable for harms that are foreseeable results of negligent conduct.

Representative cases

• Sellers, C, Aplts v. Twp. of Abington,et al 106 A.3d 679 · Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Carole Kuligoski, Individually and on behalf of Michael J. Kuligoski, and Mark Kuligoski and James M. Kuligoski v. Evan M. Rapoza, John E. Rapoza, Anne M. Rapoza, John A. Rapoza and Christine M. Rapoza 183 A.3d 1145 · Supreme Court of Vermont
• Sumsion v. J. Lyne Roberts & Sons, Inc. 2019 UT 14 · Utah Supreme Court

Related Causation & Damages rules

• Cause in Fact (But-for)But-for causation requires plaintiff’s injury would not have occurred without defendant’s conduct.
• Substantial Factor TestWhen multiple causes exist, defendant is liable if conduct was a substantial factor in harm.
• Alternative LiabilityWhen multiple negligent defendants and uncertainty about cause, burden shifts to defendants to disprove causation.
• Intervening CausesForeseeable intervening acts do not break causation; unforeseeable superseding causes do.
• Thin Skull RuleDefendant takes plaintiff as found and is liable for full extent of harm.
• Damages RequirementNegligence requires actual damages; nominal damages unavailable.
• Comparative NegligenceNegligence damages reduced by plaintiff’s percentage of fault.
• Contributory NegligenceContributory negligence is a complete bar unless last clear chance applies.

Part of Torts on Core Legal Rules — foundational MBE-tested principles with primary-source citations.