Opinion ID: 883677
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Summary Independent Cause of Action for Emotional Distress

Text: Summarizing: An independent cause of action for infliction of emotional distress will arise under circumstances where serious or severe emotional distress to the plaintiff was the reasonably foreseeable consequence of the defendant's negligent or intentional act or omission. The difference between the negligent and intentional versions of the cause of action lies, not in the elements of the tort, but in the nature and culpability of the defendant's conduct. That being the case, when a cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress is pled, the plaintiff may request relief in the form of punitive damages, per § 27-1-220, MCA, to address the culpability of the defendant's conduct. Serious or severe emotional distress to the plaintiff which was the reasonably foreseeable consequence of defendant's negligent or intentional act or omission will be addressed in both causes of action, as stated above, through a prayer for relief in the form of compensatory damages. Serious or severe emotional distress is defined according to the Restatement (Second) of Torts, § 46, comment j at 77-78. Finally, it is for the court to determine whether on the evidence severe or serious emotional distress can be found; it is for the jury to determine whether, on the evidence, it has in fact existed. Our prior cases dealing with independent causes of action involving negligent or intentional infliction of emotional distress, to the extent inconsistent with this opinion, are overruled.