What is the test for establishing substantial evidence in a civil case?

In People v. Perez (1992) 2 Cal.4th 1117 (Perez), the court explained that " '[t]o be sufficient, evidence must of course be substantial. It is such only if it " 'reasonably inspires confidence and is of "solid value." ' " By definition, "substantial evidence" requires evidence and not mere speculation. In any given case, one "may speculate about any number of scenarios that may have occurred.... A reasonable inference, however, may not be based on suspicion alone, or on imagination, speculation, supposition, surmise, conjecture, or guess work.... A finding of fact must be an inference drawn from evidence rather than... a mere speculation as to probabilities without evidence." ' "³ (Id. at p. 1133; People v. Blackwell (1961) 193 Cal.App.2d 420, 425 ["That the circumstances were suspicious may be conceded, but mere surmise and conjecture are not enough."].)