In legal terms, proximate cause refers to which concept?

• A. The direct cause of an injury that legally establishes responsibility
• B. The most remote event that could have contributed
• C. A partial cause
• D. The duty owed by the defendant

Answer: (A)

Proximate cause is about whether the link between someone’s conduct and the resulting injury is strong enough for the law to impose liability. It’s not just that the person’s actions started a chain of events, but that the injury was a foreseeable and legally recognizable consequence of those actions. In other words, there has to be a direct, legally actionable connection between the conduct and the harm, with no intervening factors breaking the chain. This is why the best description is the direct cause of an injury that legally establishes responsibility. It’s not about the most remote event, nor merely a partial cause, nor the duty owed—those relate to other aspects of liability.