Actual Cause is the most simple form of causation in an incident. For instance, Car A t-bones Car B. The actions of the driver of Car A are the actual cause of the accident.

A court considers proximate, or legal, cause when evaluating an accident. They must examine any series of actions and events that lead to the Plaintiff’s injury. Generally, the Defendant’s actions are the proximate cause of the Plaintiff’s injuries if they were reasonably foreseeable.