Intentional infliction of emotional distress

Intentional infliction of emotional distress is a civil tort imposing liability for extreme and outrageous conduct that intentionally or recklessly causes severe emotional distress.

Intentional tort: A civil wrong committed through conduct intended to bring about a harmful or legally consequential result. This tort belongs to the broader family of civil wrongs based on intentional conduct.
Negligent infliction of emotional distress: A tort claim for serious emotional harm caused by negligent conduct under rules that vary by jurisdiction. It addresses emotional injury caused by negligence rather than intentional or reckless outrageous conduct.
Workplace harassment: Unwelcome conduct in an employment setting that violates legal protections or creates a legally prohibited environment. A sufficiently extreme pattern of workplace abuse may support an emotional-distress claim alongside statutory claims.
Compensatory damages: Money awarded to compensate for losses caused by a legally recognized injury. Successful plaintiffs may seek compensation for emotional suffering and related losses.
Recklessness: Conscious disregard of a substantial and unjustifiable risk of harm. Liability may rest on recklessness even when causing distress was not the defendant’s purpose.
Defamation: A civil wrong involving a false statement of fact that harms another person’s reputation. An insulting statement may support defamation only if its distinct falsity and publication requirements are met.
Abuse of process: A tort involving misuse of legal procedures after they have been properly initiated. Misuse of litigation can be outrageous, but this separate tort requires misuse of process.
Punitive damages: Damages intended to punish especially wrongful conduct and deter similar behavior. Some cases permit additional damages when the defendant’s conduct warrants punishment.
Outrageous conduct: Conduct so extreme and intolerable that it exceeds the bounds of decency accepted by society. The conduct must cross this threshold, not merely be rude or offensive.
Assault: A tort involving intentional conduct that causes reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact. Threatening behavior may constitute assault without meeting this tort’s severe-distress requirements.

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LibelCompared with: It may accompany a libel claim but requires different conduct and injury.