{"id":368911,"date":"2023-02-06T17:06:30","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T22:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-for-emotional-distress.html"},"modified":"2026-06-11T15:37:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T20:37:15","slug":"can-i-sue-for-emotional-distress","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-for-emotional-distress.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue for Emotional Distress?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Can I Sue for Emotional Distress?<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/steven-ellison-esq\/\">Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/joseph-fawbush-esq\/\">Joseph Fawbush, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            June 11, 2026\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>Yes, you may be able to sue for emotional distress if someone\u2019s intentional or negligent actions caused you severe mental suffering. The success of your claim depends on your ability to prove extreme or outrageous conduct, the severity of your distress, and \u2014 depending on your state \u2014 whether physical symptoms or a diagnosable condition resulted.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<div><p>There are some significant legal hurdles you must overcome to sue someone for emotional distress. Meeting these challenges will depend on your circumstances and the state where you live.<\/p>\n<p>Because emotional distress laws vary by state, consulting a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/personal-injury-plaintiff\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">personal injury attorney<\/a> is essential to understand your rights and build a strong case. Proof is always an issue, and state laws differ dramatically about the specific elements of an emotional distress claim. An experienced attorney can\u00a0advise you about the merits of your personal injury claim and help you gather the evidence you need.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Civil Wrongs (Torts) Can Cause Emotional Distress<\/h2>\n<p>First, it&#8217;s important to know how civil lawsuits work and how they can involve emotional damage. If someone injures you, the law may give you a remedy. Civil wrongs for which state law allows you to sue someone are called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries.html\">torts<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>There are many different torts, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/negligence.html\">Negligence<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/civil-assault-cases.html\">Assault<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/civil-assault-cases.html\">Battery<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/defamation-libel-slander.html\">Defamation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/what-is-invasion-of-privacy-.html\">Invasion of privacy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>How To Prove Someone Wronged You<\/h3>\n<p>Each tort consists of elements. To establish a tort in court, you must be able to prove each element by a preponderance of the evidence. Some states describe this standard as showing that it is \u201cmore likely than not&#8221; that the element exists. If you can meet this burden for each element of the tort, you&#8217;ll win your lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>Generally speaking, the elements of most torts require the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/intentional-vs-negligent-torts.html\">intentional component<\/a>, whether someone actually intends to bring about the result or they fail to use reasonable care, which unintentionally brings about the result<\/li>\n<li>An injury<\/li>\n<li>A direct, foreseeable connection between the two above points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, the tort of negligence requires you to prove:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Someone owed you a legal duty to use reasonable care<\/li>\n<li>They breached this duty by failing to use reasonable care<\/li>\n<li>As a direct and foreseeable result of their failure to use reasonable care, they caused you harm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Damages Can Include Emotional Harm<\/h3>\n<p>If you win your tort case, you can recover <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/injury-damages.html\">damages<\/a>. This term refers to money intended to compensate you for losses you sustained as a result of someone&#8217;s wrongful conduct. Damages consist of two general categories:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Economic damages<\/li>\n<li>Non-economic damages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Economic damages are specific, objective costs that you can readily measure and calculate just by doing some math. For example, the amount of money you lose from time off from work \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/car-accidents\/making-a-lost-wages-claim.html\">lost wages<\/a> \u2014 can be calculated by taking your usual paycheck and subtracting the amount you were actually paid. Similarly, you can use medical records to prove the amount you are owed for medical treatment.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, non-economic damages are subjective, non-monetary losses that you can&#8217;t objectively measure. Non-economic damages include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pain and suffering<\/li>\n<li>Loss of society and companionship<\/li>\n<li>Loss of consortium (loss of the benefits of a marital relationship)<\/li>\n<li>Loss of enjoyment of life<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Emotional harm is another category of non-economic damages that may be available if you prove your tort case.<\/p>\n<h2>What Is Emotional Distress?<\/h2>\n<p>Although the precise definition varies from state to state, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/emotional-distress.html\">emotional distress<\/a> is a highly unpleasant emotional reaction that is specifically caused by another person. On its face, emotional distress is pretty easy to understand. It&#8217;s essentially the same thing as mental anguish, mental distress, emotional suffering, or emotional pain. But the legal definition is more nuanced.<\/p>\n<p>Some symptoms of emotional distress include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Depression<\/li>\n<li>Anxiety<\/li>\n<li>Shame, humiliation, or guilt<\/li>\n<li>Insomnia or nightmares<\/li>\n<li>Fear<\/li>\n<li>Anger<\/li>\n<li>Flashbacks<\/li>\n<li>Panic attacks<\/li>\n<li>Fatigue<\/li>\n<li>Chronic headaches<\/li>\n<li>Weight gain or loss<\/li>\n<li>Uncontrollable crying<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Typically, emotional distress is a category of damages you may recover if you can prove a specific tort. But in some instances, you can sue for emotional distress as its own separate tort. There are two types of independent emotional distress claims.<\/p>\n<h2>Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress<\/h2>\n<p>The first type of claim is called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/intentional-infliction-of-emotional-distress.html\">intentional infliction of emotional distress<\/a>. Generally, you can recover from someone if they deliberately engage in outrageous behavior for the purpose of causing you severe emotional distress. Like every tort, intentional infliction of emotional distress consists of elements that need to be proven.<\/p>\n<p>Although they differ from state to state, the elements generally include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Someone engages in extreme and outrageous conduct directed at you<\/li>\n<li>They act intentionally or recklessly<\/li>\n<li>You suffer severe emotional distress as a result<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let&#8217;s break these elements down.<\/p>\n<h3>Extreme and Outrageous Conduct<\/h3>\n<p>The first challenge is proving extreme and outrageous conduct. States differ on what it takes, but most agree that it requires more than a showing of mere malicious, offensive, insulting, or even cruel behavior. Otherwise, courts would be flooded by lawsuits brought by people with hurt feelings.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, you must be able to show that the traumatic event is truly beyond the bounds of human decency. What this phrase means depends on state law and the facts of the case.<\/p>\n<p>For example, making fun of an adult&#8217;s disability may not satisfy this standard, but making fun of a disabled child might. Similarly, a single racial slur may not be enough, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-for-harassment.html\">repeated racial harassment<\/a> might be.<\/p>\n<p>Whether the actions are outrageous enough to support a claim is for the jury to decide.<\/p>\n<h3>Intent Component<\/h3>\n<p>Next, you must prove either intent or recklessness. This requires a showing that someone deliberately tried to cause severe emotional distress or knew that severe emotional distress was likely to occur as a result of their conduct.<\/p>\n<p>Intent can be hard to prove. Unless the person admits that they meant to do what they did, you often have to rely upon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/hirealawyer\/choosing-the-right-lawyer\/evidence-law.html\">circumstantial evidence<\/a>. Circumstantial evidence requires you to draw an inference to reach a conclusion. For example, if you walked into a room and saw someone standing over a dead body with a smoking gun in their hand, you could reasonably infer that the person shot the victim.<\/p>\n<h3>Severe Emotional Distress<\/h3>\n<p>Finally, you need to show that you suffered not just common emotional distress, but <i>severe<\/i> emotional distress. Again, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/accident-and-injury-laws.html\">states differ<\/a> on what it takes for emotional distress to be severe enough to support an intentional infliction of emotional distress claim. Generally speaking, emotional distress reaches the level of severe when no reasonable person should be expected to endure it.<\/p>\n<p>When making this determination, courts look to a number of factors relating to the emotional distress suffered, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Its intensity<\/li>\n<li>Its duration (the longer suffered, the more likely the court will find it to be severe)<\/li>\n<li>The nature of the conduct that caused it (the more outrageous, the more likely a court will find distress sufficiently severe)<\/li>\n<li>Whether it gave rise to physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, insomnia, ulcers, gastrointestinal distress, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, one stressful day at work might not be enough for an emotional distress claim, depending on what happened. But if your coworkers are putting you under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/suing-for-emotional-distress-at-work.html\">intense conditions and abusive criticism<\/a> every day, the trauma from that experience may be severe.<\/p>\n<p>Absent observable physical injuries, this element is highly subjective. Proof comes down to being able to persuade the judge and jury that they should believe what you say and that they should accept the testimony of your expert witnesses. If you are successful, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/after-a-judgment-collecting-money.html\">recover money<\/a> as emotional distress damages.<\/p>\n<h2>Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress<\/h2>\n<p>The second emotional distress tort is called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/nied-negligent-infliction-of-emotional-distress.html\">negligent infliction of emotional distress<\/a>. State law defines the elements, and they can vary widely.<\/p>\n<p>Generally, the states that recognize the claim require proof of at least the following elements:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Someone owed you a duty to act with reasonable care<\/li>\n<li>They breached that duty<\/li>\n<li>As a result of that breach, you suffered severe emotional distress<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But your state may require you to prove additional elements.<\/p>\n<h3>Foreseeability<\/h3>\n<p>Most states that allow you to recover for negligent infliction of emotional distress apply a <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/foreseeable.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">foreseeability<\/a> rule. If the severe emotional distress was a reasonably foreseeable result of the bad behavior, you may be able to bring this claim.<\/p>\n<p>An example may help illustrate. Say a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/traffic\/traffic-tickets\/texting-while-driving.html\">driver is texting<\/a> on their phone and swerves onto the sidewalk where a mother and her child are walking. The mother is physically uninjured, but tragically, the child dies.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to other personal injury claims, the mother may have a good case for negligent infliction of emotional distress. This is because it is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/standards-of-care-and-the-reasonable-person.html\">reasonably foreseeable<\/a> that swerving onto a sidewalk when driving could have tragic and life-altering consequences.<\/p>\n<h3>Zone of Danger<\/h3>\n<p>In some states, you have to be at risk of being physically harmed in order to sue for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/proving-fault-what-is-negligence.html\">negligent infliction of emotional distress<\/a>. They call this being in the \u201czone of danger.&#8221; Other states call this the \u201cbystander rule.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In some of these states, you have to show that you are in a close relationship with someone who is actually harmed and that witnessing the event caused you severe emotional distress. The above example again applies. A family member who suffers severe emotional distress after witnessing their loved one get hit in a car accident may be able to bring this claim.<\/p>\n<h3>Impact of Emotional Distress<\/h3>\n<p>Some states follow the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/nied-negligent-infliction-of-emotional-distress.html\">impact rule<\/a>. They require you to show that your severe emotional distress included physical symptoms, such as weight loss, insomnia, or the development of an ulcer.<\/p>\n<p>The line gets fuzzy when you develop a diagnosable mental health condition as a result of the emotional distress. For example, states that follow the impact rule split over whether you can recover damages for this tort if you develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Mental suffering in itself may not constitute a physical symptom, depending on where you are.<\/p>\n<h2>Emotional Distress Damage Caps<\/h2>\n<p>You should be aware that some states limit recovery for non-economic damages such as emotional distress. There are several reasons for these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/what-is-a-damages-cap.html\">damage caps<\/a>, but the chief reason is to discourage frivolous lawsuits.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, eleven states have caps on non-economic damages that could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/economic-recovery-for-accidents-and-injuries.html\">limit recovery<\/a> in an infliction of emotional distress case:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Alaska<\/li>\n<li>Colorado<\/li>\n<li>Hawaii<\/li>\n<li>Idaho<\/li>\n<li>Kansas<\/li>\n<li>Maryland<\/li>\n<li>Mississippi<\/li>\n<li>Ohio<\/li>\n<li>Oklahoma<\/li>\n<li>Oregon<\/li>\n<li>Tennessee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The caps range from $250,000 to $750,000 or more.<\/p>\n<h2>How To Sue for Emotional Distress<\/h2>\n<p>If you believe your case might meet the elements of an emotional distress claim, the first step is to get legal advice. Many attorneys will offer a free consultation for a personal injury case. These lawyers usually also accept payment under a contingency fee arrangement, which means that they only get paid if you recover money in a judgment or settlement. Contingency fee arrangements are common in personal injury law.<\/p>\n<p>You also should be aware that virtually every state limits the time in which you can bring an infliction of emotional distress claim under a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/statutes-of-limitations.html\">statute of limitations<\/a>. If you wait too long to bring your claim, a court will dismiss it. So act promptly if you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/filing-a-lawsuit-should-you-sue.html\">thinking about suing<\/a> for emotional harm in a personal injury lawsuit or another type of tort.<\/p>\n<p>Since most emotional distress claims are part of personal injury cases, you can read about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/first-steps-in-personal-injury-claim.html\">how to start an injury lawsuit<\/a> to get a better idea of that process. These claims may also be part of an employment law dispute, such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/legal-help-and-resources\/can-i-sue-employer-for-verbal-abuse.html\">workplace harassment case<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While your specific case may vary, here are the general <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit.html\">steps of suing<\/a> for emotional distress:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/starting-the-case-initial-court-papers.html\">File a petition<\/a> in the proper civil court<\/li>\n<li>Gather evidence for your case and begin the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/fact-finding-and-discovery.html\">discovery process<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Consider <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/resolution-before-trial-court-motions.html\">negotiating a settlement<\/a> to avoid the costs and further emotional pressure of a courtroom battle<\/li>\n<li>If no settlement is reached, present your argument in court with the help of your attorney<\/li>\n<li>Receive the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/trial-and-verdict.html\">court&#8217;s decision<\/a> on your claim and, if successful, learn the amount of money you can collect<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>A Lawyer Can Help With Your Emotional Distress Lawsuit<\/h2>\n<p>If someone caused you severe emotional trauma, you may want to talk with a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/personal-injury-plaintiff\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">personal injury lawyer<\/a>. As you can see, these cases pose a challenge that you wouldn&#8217;t want to undertake on your own. A good lawyer can help you better understand your claim, give you legal advice, and help you decide if bringing a personal injury legal action is in your best interest.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                  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class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n            <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form\">\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--positive\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Easy to understand\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n            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                 >Solved my problem<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--negative\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Out of date\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                        >Out of date<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\"><div 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can help gather evidence to show the extent of emotional suffering you&#8217;ve endured\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    A lawyer can advise whether pursuing a lawsuit is worth your time, money, and effort\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>The court process for many cases, such as intellectual property or probate, can be complicated and slow. An attorney can help prevent common mistakes during litigation.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/litigation-appeals\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL34\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Suing for emotional distress is complex and depends on your state\u2019s laws. FindLaw explains intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":368853,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":["SEO Title Length","External Links","Alt Text for All Images","Category Assigned"]},"categories":[2803],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-368911","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-litigation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368911"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":397038,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368911\/revisions\/397038"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368911"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=368911"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=368911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}