What does negligent infliction of emotional distress involve?

Negligent infliction of emotional distress specifically involves the concept where a person suffers emotional harm as a result of another individual's negligent conduct. This can occur without the need for an accompanying physical injury to the victim. The focus is on the negligent behavior and its impact on the emotional well-being of the plaintiff.

In this context, for a successful claim of negligent infliction of emotional distress, the plaintiff typically must demonstrate that the defendant had a duty to act reasonably, breached that duty through negligent conduct, and as a result, the plaintiff experienced significant emotional distress. Often, courts require that the emotional distress be of a severity that it significantly affects the person’s daily life, distinguishing it from trivial upset.

Other options are less accurate because they either confine the principles of emotional distress to intentional actions or overlook the requirement of negligence specifically. Financial losses, while they can occur as a consequence of emotional distress, do not define the tort itself. Similarly, while physical harm may lead to emotional distress, it is not a requirement for a claim of negligent infliction of emotional distress, emphasizing the stand-alone nature of emotional harm arising from negligence.