Opinion ID: 1657610
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Claim for Outrage

Text: Appellant's second point on appeal is that the trial court erred in submitting the issue of the tort of outrage to the jury based on insufficient evidence. We are procedurally barred from reaching the merits of this argument. Our review on appeal is limited to the record as abstracted in the briefs. Lakeview Country Club, Inc. v. Superior Prods., 325 Ark. 218, 926 S.W.2d 428 (1996). Here, the abstract does not reveal that the complaint alleged a cause of action for the tort of outrage. The abstract does state that, at the close of Appellee's case as plaintiff, in addition to moving for a directed verdict on the claim for bad faith Appellant also moved for a directed verdict on a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress based on a lack of substantial evidence that Elisha Allen suffered severe emotional distress that a reasonable person could not be expected to endure. However, the abstract does not reveal that the trial court ever ruled on this particular motion. It was Appellant's burden to obtain a ruling on the motion, and the absence of the ruling constitutes a waiver of this issue on appeal. Haase v. Starnes, 323 Ark. 263, 915 S.W.2d 675 (1996). Given the absence of a ruling at this stage, Appellant's renewal at the close of all the evidence of his previous motion for directed verdict has no effect on preserving this issue for appellate review. Appellant waived this issue further because, although the abstract reveals that the jury was instructed on the definition of extreme and outrageous conduct, there is no indication in the abstract that Appellant objected to such an instruction. The absence of an objection to the outrage instruction distinguishes this case from Dillard Dep't Stores, Inc. v. Adams, 315 Ark. 303, 867 S.W.2d 442 (1993), where we stated that when an erroneous instruction has been given and a jury has rendered a general verdict from which prejudice due to the error cannot be ascertained, we must reverse unless some additional factor renders the erroneous instruction harmless. On this record, we find no merit to Appellant's arguments. The judgment is affirmed. NOYL HOUSTON and ELDON F. COFFMAN, Special Justices, join in this opinion. JESSON, C.J., and GLAZE, J., not participating.