How does proximate cause affect a defendant's liability?

Proximate cause plays a critical role in determining a defendant's liability by limiting that liability to the foreseeable risks that arise from their actions. The concept of proximate cause establishes a connection between the defendant's conduct and the resulting harm, focusing primarily on whether the harm that occurred was a foreseeable consequence of the defendant's actions.

In tort law, for a defendant to be held liable for negligence or other tortious conduct, the harm must be deemed foreseeable. If the harm was too remote or unexpected, liability may not be imposed. This foresight requirement helps to ensure that defendants are only held responsible for consequences that a reasonable person would consider as a natural result of their actions, thereby providing a fair and just framework for liability.

This principle helps maintain a balance in the legal system in which defendants are not overwhelmed by the consequences of every possible outcome stemming from their actions, but rather only those that are reasonably predictable. Thus, in this context, the correct understanding is that proximate cause limits a defendant's liability to those risks they could reasonably have foreseen.