Stephen Schultz | May 18, 2026 | Personal Injury
After an accident, it is not enough to show that someone acted carelessly. You also have to connect that careless conduct to your injuries. This legal link is known as the proximate cause.
Proximate cause can become one of the most disputed parts of a personal injury claim. Insurance companies may argue that something else caused your injuries or that the harm was too far removed from the accident. Understanding this concept can help you see why evidence matters so much after a crash, fall, or other injury.
What Is Proximate Cause?
Proximate cause refers to the connection between a person’s negligent actions and another person’s injuries. Put simply, it asks whether the injury was a foreseeable result of the other person’s conduct.
For example, if a distracted driver runs a red light and hits another car, injuries from that crash are a foreseeable result of the driver’s negligence. In that type of case, the proximate cause is often easier to understand.
Other cases are not as clear. Courts may consider whether the injury was reasonably foreseeable or whether an unrelated event broke the chain of causation.
Why Is Proximate Cause Important?
In a Missouri personal injury case, proving that someone was negligent is only part of the process.
An injured person generally must show that:
- The defendant owed them a duty of care.
- The defendant breached that duty.
- The breach caused the injury.
- The injured person suffered damages.
Proximate cause focuses on whether the defendant’s conduct actually led to the harm. Even when someone made a mistake, they may not be legally responsible unless that mistake caused the injury.
This issue can arise in car accidents, slip-and-fall cases, workplace accidents, and medical malpractice claims.
Examples of Proximate Cause in Personal Injury Cases
Proximate cause is easier to understand through everyday examples.
Rear-End Car Accident
A driver is texting while driving in downtown St. Louis and does not notice the stopped traffic. The driver rear-ends another vehicle, and the person inside suffers whiplash and a concussion.
Here, the distracted driving directly caused the crash. The injuries were also a foreseeable result of the collision, so the proximate cause would likely be easier to prove.
Slip and Fall Accident
A grocery store employee sees a liquid spill in an aisle, but neither cleans it up nor posts warning signs. Later, a customer slips and falls, breaking a hip.
A fall is a predictable result of leaving a slippery floor unaddressed. If the evidence supports what happened, the store’s failure to act may be the proximate cause of the injury.
Multi-Car Collision
A speeding driver causes a crash on Interstate 64 during heavy traffic. One damaged vehicle is pushed into another lane, where a second collision occurs.
The original driver may still be responsible for injuries from the second crash if that chain of events was reasonably foreseeable. Heavy traffic often makes secondary crashes more likely after an initial collision.
Medical Malpractice Case
A doctor fails to diagnose an infection during an emergency room visit. The patient later develops serious complications that require surgery.
If earlier treatment likely would have prevented the complications, the missed diagnosis may be treated as the proximate cause of the patient’s worsening condition.
What Can Break the Chain of Proximate Cause?
Not every injury that happens after an accident will be tied to the original event. Sometimes, a separate event interrupts the chain of causation.
For example, suppose a driver causes a minor crash. While the injured person is waiting for help, a completely unrelated third party assaults them nearby. That assault may be an independent intervening act that breaks the chain of proximate cause.
Insurance companies often make similar arguments. They may claim that an old injury, another accident, or a separate medical condition caused the harm instead.
How Do Lawyers Prove Proximate Cause?
Evidence is often the key to proving proximate cause. Depending on the case, an attorney may use:
- Accident reports
- Surveillance footage
- Witness statements
- Medical records
- Expert opinions
- Accident reconstruction evidence
Medical records are especially important. They can help show when symptoms began, what injuries were diagnosed, and how the accident affected your health.
The stronger the connection between the accident and the injury, the harder it is for an insurance company to dispute causation.
Can More Than One Person Be Responsible?
Yes. Missouri follows a pure comparative fault system, which means more than one person can share responsibility for an accident.
For example, one driver may have been speeding while another failed to yield. Both actions may have contributed to the crash.
An injured person may still recover compensation even if they are partly at fault. However, their compensation can be reduced based on their percentage of responsibility.
Why Proximate Cause Can Affect Compensation
Disputes over proximate cause can affect the value of a personal injury claim.
Insurance companies may argue that:
- The injury existed before the accident.
- The accident did not cause the medical condition.
- Another event caused the injury.
- The injuries are not as serious as claimed.
These arguments can make a claim more stressful, especially when you are already dealing with medical care, missed work, and pain. A personal injury lawyer can help gather the evidence needed to connect your injuries to the accident.
Call Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation With a St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer
If you were injured in an accident in St. Louis, proving proximate cause may be an important part of your claim. Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers can help investigate your accident, gather evidence, and pursue compensation for your injuries and losses.
Reach out to our personal injury attorneys today to arrange a free consultation.
We proudly serve all throughout Missouri, including St. Louis County and Boone County, and we have offices in St. Louis, Ladue, Columbia, and Creve Coeur.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Louis Office
319 N 4th Street, Suite 835, St. Louis, MO 63102
(314) 444-4444
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Columbia Office
28 N 8th St # 502, Columbia, MO 65201
(573) 702-3285
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Ladue Office
9807 S 40 Dr, St. Louis, MO 63124
(314) 912-3302
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Creve Coeur Office
999 Executive Pkwy Dr #205, Creve Coeur, MO 63141
(314) 350-4021
