The rule of remoteness in tort law limits a defendant’s liability to damage which a reasonable person would have foreseen as a likely result of their negligence at the time the act was committed. It places a boundary on how far-reaching damages claims can be justified.
For example: If a window cleaner accidentally breaks a window, causing some water damage, they could be liable for the repair costs but not for a business’s claim of lost profits due to closing for repairs, which could be seen as too remote a consequence.