Final answer:
The EMT would be guilty of proximate cause in a negligence lawsuit if their actions or inaction directly led to the plaintiff's injury, linking the breach of duty to the harm suffered.
Step-by-step explanation:
During a negligence lawsuit, when it is shown that the injury to the plaintiff was at least in part directly due to the EMT's actions or inaction, this represents the component of negligence known as proximate cause. Proximate cause means that the defendant's actions (or lack thereof) were a substantial factor in causing the injury.
It directly links the breach of duty (the EMT's failure to act as a reasonable EMT would) to the harm suffered by the plaintiff. This is distinct from duty to act, which refers to the obligation the EMT has to provide care; breach of duty, which is the failure to meet the standard of care; and gross incompetence, which would imply a level of recklessness or a severe lack of skill.