You would need to prove that the defendant was negligent in the conduct that caused the incident. Damages in an Emotional Distress Lawsuit.Negligent Infliction of Mental and Emotional Harm. Negligent tort — Negligence is at the heart of many tort actions. When another party's negligence or wrongdoing causes you to suffer, the party should be held accountable for its actions. See Restatement Third of Torts, § 47 Negligent Conduct Directly Inflicting Emotional Harm on Another. Custom is "evidence that actor's conduct is not negligent but does not preclude a finding of negligence. As experienced personal injury attorneys in Santa Clara, determining negligence is part of what we do.