Legal Definitions - direct and proximate cause

Definition: Direct and proximate cause refer to the legal cause of an event or injury. Direct cause is the immediate cause that leads to the event or injury, while proximate cause is the underlying cause that sets the event or injury in motion.

Example: A driver runs a red light and hits a pedestrian, causing the pedestrian to break their leg. The direct cause of the injury is the impact of the car hitting the pedestrian. The proximate cause is the driver's negligence in running the red light.

Another example could be a person slipping on a wet floor in a grocery store and breaking their arm. The direct cause of the injury is the fall, while the proximate cause could be the store's failure to put up a warning sign or clean up the spill in a timely manner.

These examples illustrate how direct and proximate cause are used in legal cases to determine who is responsible for an event or injury. By identifying the direct and proximate causes, a court can assign liability and determine appropriate compensation for damages.