In tort law, how is "causation" defined?

Causation in tort law is defined as the connection between a breach of duty and the plaintiff's injury. This concept is crucial because it establishes that the defendant's actions (or inactions) directly resulted in the harm suffered by the plaintiff. To succeed in a tort claim, the plaintiff must demonstrate both that the defendant had a duty of care, which was breached, and that this breach was a proximate cause of the injury sustained.

In determining causation, courts often look to whether the harm would have occurred "but for" the defendant's actions and the foreseeability of the harm resulting from that breach. This ensures that liability is appropriately assigned to those whose negligent behavior directly contributes to the injuries suffered by others.

The other options do not address this critical relationship in tort law. The first option, which refers to a personal belief, does not pertain to the legal standards of causation at all. The third option discusses the nature of harm caused by a product, which might relate to product liability but does not encapsulate the broader idea of causation. Lastly, the fourth option about the relationship between different torts does not relate to the specific concept of causation as it pertains to individual claims of injury resulting from a breach of duty