What does 'negligent infliction of emotional distress' refer to?

'Negligent infliction of emotional distress' refers specifically to a legal claim that arises from negligence. This legal concept allows an individual to seek damages for emotional suffering that results from the negligent actions of another party, even when there might not be physical harm involved.

In these cases, the plaintiff typically must prove that the defendant's negligence was the cause of their emotional distress and that the distress was severe and provable. This type of claim acknowledges that emotional suffering can be as impactful as physical injuries and provides a legal avenue to address non-physical harm.

Other options relate to different legal concepts: intentional acts causing emotional harm pertain to intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation deals with false statements harming an individual's reputation, and breach of contract involves failures to uphold agreements rather than emotional harm. Each of these options represents distinct legal principles, but negligent infliction of emotional distress specifically relates to claims based on negligence.