Proximate cause means that another party’s actions are “sufficiently related to your injuries such that the law considers the person to have caused your injuries in a legal sense,” according to the NYC Bar Association.
What Proximate Cause Means in Layman’s Terms
In layman’s terms, proximate cause means something was the direct, foreseeable result of another person’s actions or inaction. In other words, it connects the dots between what the person did wrong and the injury that followed.
Why It Matters to You
Understanding proximate cause is important because it helps show that your injuries were a predictable result of someone else’s careless actions. In a personal injury case, you must be able to connect what the other person did wrong to the harm you suffered. If your injuries were a foreseeable outcome of their negligence, then you have a stronger foundation for seeking compensation.
Real-World Examples of Proximate Cause
Here are a few examples to illustrate proximate cause.
A Truck Driver Texts While Driving
A truck driver looks down at a text message, drifts out of their lane, and sideswipes another vehicle. The injured driver suffers a spinal cord injury.
- It is completely foreseeable that texting while driving could lead to a crash, and that a crash could cause serious injuries.
- Because the harm is a predictable result of the negligent act, the truck driver’s distraction is the proximate cause of the injury.
A Store Fails to Clean Up a Spill
A grocery store employee notices a spill but leaves it on the floor for 20 minutes. A customer slips, falls, and fractures a hip.
- It is entirely predictable that leaving a slippery floor unaddressed could cause someone to fall.
- The store’s failure to clean up the spill is the proximate cause of the customer’s injury.
A Manufacturer Ignores a Vehicle Defect
A vehicle manufacturer becomes aware that a particular model has a defect that causes the engine to overheat and catch fire. It fails to issue a recall. A driver later suffers burn injuries when the vehicle ignites.
- Injuries from a vehicle fire are a foreseeable outcome of failing to repair or recall a defective product.
- That makes the manufacturer’s failure to act the proximate cause of the victim’s injuries.
A Drunk Driver Causes a Crash
A driver chooses to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. They lose control of their car and collide with another vehicle, injuring the occupants.
- It is well-known and foreseeable that drunk driving can cause a collision and serious harm.
- The driver’s impairment is the proximate cause of the victims’ injuries.
