Psychological Injuries: A Police Remedy in Intentional Infliction of Mental Distress

Horstman P. L. Assaults on Police Officers — How Safe Are You?, 12 Police Chief 44 (1973); Blackmore J. Are Police Allowed to Have Problems of Their Own?, 3 Police Magazine 47 (1978); Symonds M. Emotional Hazards of Police Work, 2 Am. Jour, of Psych . 155 (1969); Stratton J. B. Police Stress, Part I: An Overview. 4 Police Chief 58 (1978); Walrod T. H. , Causes of Stress to Police Officers Detailed. 5 National Sheriff 12 (1978); Krajick D. , Liability Crisis: Who Will Insure the Police; 1 Police Magazine 33 (1978).

Friend C. , Police Rights: Civil Remedies for Law Enforcement Officers (1979); Police: Under Fire, Fighting Back, 13 U.S. News and World Report 37 (April, 1978).

Friend C. , Police Rights: Civil Remedies for Law Enforcement Officers 4 (1979).

Id. at 77.

See generally: Lynch v. State, 11 Eng. Rep. R. No. 854 (1861); Victorian Railways Commissioners v. Coultas , 13 App. Cas. 222 (1888); Mitchell v. Rochester Railway Co. , 151 N.Y. 107, 45 N. E 354 (1896); Braun v. Craven , 175 Ill. 401, 51 N.E. 657 (1898); Chittick v. Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. , 224 PA 13, 73 ATL 4 (1909); Bartow v. Smith, 149 Ohio St. 301, 78 N.E. 2d 735 (1948).

White v. Morris, 337 So. 2d 23/ (LA. APP. 1976).

More H. , The American Police 95 (1976).

Id. At 240.; See also: Smith v. Hubbard , 253 Minn. 215, 91 N.W. 2d 756; Ryan v. Quinn , 24 Ky 1513, 71 S.W. 872 (1903).

Prosser, “Intentional Infliction of Mental Suffering: A New Tort”, 37 Mich. L. Rev. 877 (1939).

Prosser W. , Handbook of the Law of Torts *12, at 50.

See generally: Atlanta Hub Co. v. Jones , 47 Ga. App. 178, 171 S.E. 470 (1933); Holdorf v. Holdorf , 185 Iowa 838, 169 N.W. 737 (1918); Williams v. Underhill , 63 App. Div. 223, 71 N.Y.S. 291 (1901); Salisbury v. Poulson , 51 Utah 552, 172 P. 315 (1918); Brents v. Morgan, 221 Ky. 765, 299 S.W. 967 (1927).

Prosser, Handbook, supra, Note 10 at 50–51; See also: Goodrich , “Emotional Disturbance as Legal Damage”, 20 Mich. L. Rev . 497 (1922); Earengey , “The Legal Consequences of Shock”, 2 Medico-Legal and Crim. Rec. 14 (1934).

Moore L. Donohue J. “The Patrol Officer: Special Problems/Special Cures”. 11 Police Chief o, (1978).

Van Raalte R. “Alcohol As A Problem Among Officers”. 2 Police Chief 38 (1979).

Maanen J. , Policing: A View from the Street 120 (1978).

“Negligently Inflicted Mental Distress: The Case for an independent Tort”, 59 Geo. L. Rev. 1255 (1971).

See generally: Keschener , “Simulation of Nervous and Mental Disease”, 44 Mich. L. Rev . 715 (1946); Rheingold , “The Basis of Medical Testimony”, 15 Vand. L. Rev. 473 (1962).

Nickerson v. Hodges , 146 La, 735, 84 So. 37 (1920); See also: 64 A.L.R. 2d 100, 115–126 (1959) for general annotations.

“A New Application of an Old Tort: Intentional Infliction of Mental Distress Against Physicians and Hospitals”, 83 Dick. L. Rev. 245 (1979).

RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS *46 (1965). Sec. 46 Outrageous Conduct Causing Severe Emotional Distress: (1) One who by extreme and outrageous conduct intentionally or recklessly causes severe emotional distress to another is subject to liability for such emotional distress, and if bodily harm to the other results from it, for such bodily harm. (2) Where such conduct is directed at a third person, the action is subject to liability if he intentionally or recklessly causes severe emotional distress. (a) to a member of such person's immediate family who is present at the time, whether or not such distress results in bodily harm, or (b) to any other person who is present at the time, if such distress results in bodily harm.

RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS *46 (d) (1965).

Id. *at *46 (d).

See: Magruder , “Mental and Emotional Disturbance in the Law of Torts”, 49 Harv. L. Rev . 1033 (1936); Smith , “An Independent Tort Action for Mental Suffering and Emotional Distress”, 7 Drake L. Rev. 53 (1957).

Friend C. , Police Rights, supra, Note 2, at 89.

Goldstein H. , Policing in a Free Society 28 (1977).

Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. v. Roch, 160 Md. 189, 153 A. 22 (1931).

Kaufman v. Western Union Tel. Co., 224 F 2d 723 (CA 5th, 1955).

LaSalle Extension Univ. v. Fogarty, 126 Neb. 457, 253 N.W. 424 (1934).

Alcorn v. Anbro Engineering , Inc., 2 Cal. 3rd 493, 86 Cal. Rptr 88, 468 P. 2d 216 (1970).

Torres v. State , 34 Misc. 2d 488, 288 N.Y.S. 1005 (1962); Bedard v. Notre Dame Hospital. 89RI 195, 151 A. 2d 690 (1959).

Kirby v. Jules Chain Stores Corp. , 210 NC 808, 188 S.E. 625 (1936).

Prosser, Handbook, supra Note 10 at 56.

See: The Police Plaintiff, A quarterly publication dedicated to compiling existing police litigation. The journal published by Americans for Effective Law Enforcement, 501 Grandview Drive, Suite 207, So. San Francisco, CA 94080, provides the researcher with citations by jurisdiction, mostly low-level courts like small claims or county courts. Research of these opinions is an expensive and painstaking task since most are never published. The author wished to express appreciation to Wayne Schmidt, the Operating Director of AELE, as well as the Harford County Sheriff's Department, particularly Sgt. Dom Mele for providing information and assistance.

McCart v. Morris , 58 A.D. 2d 700, 396 N.Y.S. 2d 107 (1977).

Dean v. Valliere , No. 83922 (Sup'r Ct. Tulare County, Ca. 1976).

Complaint for Plaintiffs at 2, Dean v. Valliere, No. 83922 (Sup'r Ct. Tulare County, CA. Nov. 2, 1976).

Id. at 3–4.

Ruling on Demurrer to Cross-Complaint, Dean v. Valliere, No. 83922 (Sup'r Ct. Tulare County, CA. May 20, 1977).

Sabin, “International Infliction of Mental Distress-Seventeen Years Later”. I11. Bar Journal 250 (1978).

RESTATEMENT, supra Note 20 at *46.

Boyle v. Chandler, 33 Del. 323, 138 Atl. 273 (1927).

“New Application of an Old Tort”, supra, Note 19, at 247.

E.g., California, New York, Michigan and Hawaii.

“Negligently Inflicted Mental Distress”, supra, Note 16 at 1245.

Dillon v. Legg, 68 Cal. 2d 728, 69 Cal Reptr 72, 441 P2d (1968).

Rodrigues v. State, 52 Haw 283, 472 P.2d 509 (1970).

Wallace v. Coca-Cola, 269 A2d 117 (ME, Sup. Ct. 1970).

“Negligently Inflicted Mental Distress”, supra, Note 16 at 1263. See: RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS *313 (1965).

“New Application of an Old Tort”, supra Note 19 at 252.

RESTATEMENT, supra note 20 at *46 (J).

Negligently Inflicted Mental Distress”, supra, Note 16 at 1254.

Friend , Police Rights, supra, Note 2 at 133.

RESTATEMENT, supra, Note 20 at *46 (i).

Prosser, Handbook, supra, Note 10 at 57.

Dooley J. , Modern Tort Law, Liability and Litigation 15.10, 326. (1971).

Contra: Hill v. Kimball, 76 Tex. 210, 13 S.W. 59 (1890); Rogers v. Williard, 144 Ark. 587, 223 S.W. 15 (1920).

Anson v. Fletcher , 192 Neb. 317, 220 N.W. 2d 371 (1974).

Id. at 377.

Id. at 378.

See: Greenman v. Yuba Powder Products, Inc., 59 Cal. 2d 57, 27 Cal. Rptr, 697, 377 P.2d 897 (1962); D'Ambra v. U.S. (RI) 338 A. 2d 524 (1975); Dillon v. Legg, supra, Note 43.

Dooley , Modern Tort, supra, Note 55 at 15.10, 329.

Serio v. Bittner, No. 25144-78, (Dist. Ct. of Md., Balt. City 1978).

E.g.: Los Angeles Police Protective League, FOP Lodge 27, Delaware County, Pa; Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police.

Roshak v. Leathers 227 Or. 207, 560 P.2d 275 (1977); Huckeby v. Spangler, 563 S.W. 2d 555 (Sp. Ct. of Tenn. 1978) (Both police officers awarded punitive damages).