The primary cause that sets in motion a sequence of events leading to injury or damage, without which the harm would not have occurred. It must be foreseeable and not too remote from the resulting harm.
From Latin 'proximus' (nearest, next) and 'causa' (cause, reason). The legal concept developed in 19th-century tort law to limit liability by requiring a reasonably close connection between negligent conduct and resulting harm.
Proximate cause is law's way of preventing the 'butterfly effect' from creating infinite liability - just because A led to B led to C doesn't mean A is legally responsible for Z! The famous case involves a passenger dropping fireworks, causing an explosion that knocked over scales that injured someone - the railroad wasn't liable because the harm was too unforeseeable.
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