What principle is used to determine if an injury occurred due to a defendant's negligent conduct?

The principle used to determine if an injury occurred due to a defendant's negligent conduct is the preponderance of the evidence. In civil cases, such as tort actions, the plaintiff must demonstrate that it is more likely than not that the defendant's actions caused the injury. This means that the evidence presented by the plaintiff must outweigh the evidence provided by the defendant, establishing that there is a greater than 50% chance that the defendant's negligence led to the harm suffered by the plaintiff.

This standard is crucial because it balances the need for justice against the acknowledgment that negligence cases often involve complex situations where direct proof may be scarce. Thus, the preponderance of evidence allows for a finding of liability based on the cumulative weight of the evidence rather than on absolutely incontrovertible proof.

Other principles mentioned, like beyond a reasonable doubt, refers to the standard of proof required in criminal cases and is not applicable in tort law. Similarly, while the substantial factor test is used in certain circumstances to establish causation, it does not replace the need to establish proof through the preponderance of evidence in typical negligence cases. Conclusive proof implies an absolute certainty that is unattainable in most civil cases, where the focus is instead on the likelihood given the presented