Intentional Torts​​ Call (732) 536-6161 or fill out the contact form on this page to speak to one of our experienced trial lawyers. In the practice of tort law, the party bringing the action and claiming damages is the plaintiff, and the party being sued is the defendant.Plaintiff might suffer a psychiatric illness as a result of the defendant's negligence. In this column, we will explore the concept of tort liability arising from what is referred to as "launching an instrument of harm. Learn if you can sue for emotional harm under Massachusetts' strict NIED laws. Contact a qualified New Jersey premises liability lawyer at Team Law for a free consultation about your accident claim today. 1-800-TEAM-LAW. Liability for Negligently Inflicted Psychiatric Harm: Justifications and Boundaries. In many jurisdictions, this rule is known as the "impact rule" and it requires some physical injury before negligence liability may attach.