Legal Definitions - IIED

IIED stands for Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED) is a type of civil wrong, or "tort," that occurs when one person acts in an extreme and outrageous way, with the specific goal of causing, or with reckless disregard for causing, severe emotional suffering to another person. The emotional distress experienced by the victim must be so profound that it significantly impacts their mental well-being.

To successfully claim IIED, generally, four key elements must be proven:

• Outrageous Conduct: The defendant's actions must be truly extreme and go beyond what any reasonable person in a civilized society would tolerate. It's not just rude, annoying, or insulting behavior; it must be genuinely shocking and intolerable.
• Intent or Recklessness: The defendant must have either intended to cause severe emotional distress, or acted with reckless disregard for the high probability that their actions would cause such distress.
• Severe Emotional Distress: The victim must have suffered emotional distress that is so severe that no reasonable person should be expected to endure it. This often means the distress is debilitating and may require professional help, such as therapy or medication.
• Causation: The defendant's outrageous conduct must be the direct cause of the victim's severe emotional distress.

It's important to note that courts balance IIED claims with protections for free speech. Simply criticizing someone, even harshly, especially a public figure, is generally not enough to meet the "outrageous conduct" standard. The actions must go significantly further than mere speech or criticism.

Here are some examples illustrating IIED:

• Example 1: Malicious Harassment

  After a contentious breakup, Alex repeatedly sends hundreds of disturbing and threatening messages to Blake, including photoshopped images designed to humiliate and terrorize Blake. Alex also calls Blake's workplace pretending to be a debt collector, making false accusations that lead to Blake being disciplined. This campaign of harassment continues for months, causing Blake to suffer severe anxiety, panic attacks, and depression, requiring extensive therapy and medication. Alex's actions are clearly outrageous, intended to cause distress, and directly resulted in Blake's severe emotional suffering.

• Example 2: Reckless Deception Leading to Trauma

  A group of teenagers decides to play a cruel prank on an elderly neighbor, Carol. They call Carol, impersonating a police officer, and falsely inform her that her only child has been involved in a fatal car accident. They provide convincing but fabricated details and hang up before Carol can ask questions. Carol, believing the news, collapses from shock and grief, suffering a heart attack that requires hospitalization. Even if the teenagers didn't specifically intend for Carol to have a heart attack, their reckless and outrageous deception, knowing the profound emotional impact such a lie would have, could constitute IIED.

• Example 3: Abusive Power Dynamics

  During a difficult period for an employee, David, his manager, Emily, begins a campaign of psychological abuse. Emily publicly belittles David, spreads false rumors about his performance to colleagues, and assigns him impossible tasks with unrealistic deadlines, knowing he is already struggling with personal issues. She frequently threatens his job security without cause, often laughing at his visible distress. This sustained pattern of malicious behavior causes David to experience a nervous breakdown, leading to a leave of absence and a diagnosis of severe work-related stress and depression. Emily's conduct, leveraging her position of power to intentionally inflict distress, is outrageous and directly caused David's severe emotional harm.