Legal Definitions - outrage

In legal contexts, the term "outrage" is not a standalone legal claim but rather describes the specific type of conduct required for a tort known as Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED).

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED) is a legal claim that allows an individual to seek damages when another person's extreme and outrageous conduct intentionally or recklessly causes them to suffer severe emotional distress.

For a claim of IIED to be successful, several elements must typically be proven:

• The defendant acted intentionally or recklessly.
• The defendant's conduct was extreme and outrageous. This is where the concept of "outrage" comes into play, meaning the conduct must be so atrocious that it goes beyond all possible bounds of decency and is considered utterly intolerable in a civilized community.
• The defendant's actions caused the plaintiff severe emotional distress.
• The plaintiff's emotional distress was severe.

Here are some examples illustrating conduct that might be considered "outrageous" in the context of an IIED claim:

• Example 1: Workplace Harassment After a Tragedy

  A manager, fully aware that an employee's spouse has recently passed away, begins a campaign of cruel jokes and insensitive remarks about the deceased during team meetings. The manager also publicly threatens to fire the employee if they show any signs of grief or sadness at work, causing the employee to suffer severe depression and anxiety.

  Explanation: The manager's conduct is extreme and outrageous because it deliberately exploits a profound personal tragedy for malicious purposes, far exceeding the bounds of appropriate workplace behavior. Such actions are designed to inflict severe emotional distress and would be considered intolerable in a civilized society.

• Example 2: False Report of a Loved One's Death

  As a cruel prank, an individual calls an elderly person, falsely claiming to be a hospital official and reporting that their adult child has been killed in a horrific accident. The caller provides graphic, fabricated details and hangs up, causing the elderly parent to experience immediate and profound shock, grief, and physical distress before the truth is eventually discovered.

  Explanation: Spreading false, devastating news about a loved one's death, especially to a vulnerable individual like an elderly parent, is considered extreme and outrageous. This conduct is calculated to cause immediate and severe emotional distress, going far beyond a mere prank and violating common standards of decency.

• Example 3: Sustained Campaign of Neighbor Harassment

  Following a minor property dispute, a neighbor embarks on a deliberate and sustained campaign of harassment against an elderly couple. This includes repeatedly vandalizing their garden with offensive symbols, leaving dead animals on their porch, and making loud, threatening noises outside their bedroom window every night for several weeks. As a result, the couple suffers from severe anxiety, insomnia, and a constant fear for their safety and well-being.

  Explanation: This prolonged pattern of malicious and disturbing acts, specifically designed to terrorize and distress the elderly couple, clearly constitutes extreme and outrageous conduct. It goes beyond mere annoyance or property damage, aiming to inflict profound emotional suffering and is utterly intolerable in a civilized community.