Mental Suffering

A mental emotion arising from a physical injury; any mental anguish cannected with bodily injury. Braun v. Craven, 175 111. 408; Tomasi V. Donk Bros. Coal Co., 257 111. 75. MENTIR'I (Lat.) To lie; to assert a falsehood. Calv. Lex.; 3 Bulst. 260.

Where mental proper subject of compensation, but standing alone it will not support an action of which actual damages is the basis; Hale, Dam. §§ 39, 40. Damages for mental suffering are allowable where there has been a malicious, intentional or wilful invasion of plaintiff’s rights, although there was no physical injury; Rowan v. Telegraph Co., 149 Fed. 550. A Jury is not confined to compensatory damages, but may consider the sorrow, mental distress and bereavement of a father suing for the wrongful and negligent killing of his son; Kelley v. R. Co., 58 W. Va. 210, 52 S. E. 520, 2 L. R. A. (N. S.) 898. It was the common-law rule that mental suffering unconnected with physical injury or other element of damage to person or property, is not a cause of action for which damages may be recovered; Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Rogers, 68 Miss. 748, 9 South. 823, 13 L. R. A. 859, 24 Am. St. Rep. 300, L. R. 10 Q. B. 122; 9 H. L. Cas. 577; Curtin V. Telegraph Co., 13 App. Div. 253, 42 N. Y. Supp. 1109; Connell v. Telegraph Co., 116 Mo. 34, 22 S. W. 345, 20 L. R. A. 172, 38 Am. St. Rep. 575; Wolf v. Stewart, 48 La. Ann. 1431, 20 South. 908; Joch v. Dankwardt, 85 111. 331; City of Salina v. Trosper, 27 Kan. 544; Johnson v. Wells, Fargo & Co., 6 Nev. 224, 3 Am. Rep. 245; Russell V. Telegraph Co., 3 Dak. 315, 19 N. W. 408; International Ocean Telegraph Co. V. Saunders, 32 Fla. 434, 14 South. 148, 21 L. R. A 810. Damages for a personal Injury may properly include compensation for pain and suffering, both physical and mental; and also permanent injuries, which it is fair to belldve will result in the future; Denver & it. G. R. Co. V. Roller, 100 Fed. 738, 41 C. C. A. 22, 49 L. R. A. 77; or resulting from a miscarriage caused by fright from the falling of an Incandescent light bulb on plaintiff’s temple; Jones v. R. Co., 23 App. Div. 141, 48 N. T. Supp. 914; but the right to recover for mental suffering resulting from bodily Injuries is restricted to the person who received the bodily Injury. Distress caused by sympathy for another’s suffering is not an element of damages; Woodstock Iron Works V. Stockdale, 143 Ala. 550, 39 South. 335, 6 Ann. Cas. 578; and likewise mental distress from seeing a pet cat mangled by a dog, in the absence of wilfulness of the dog’s owner. Is not recoverable; Buchanan v. Stout, 123 App. Div. 648, 108 N. Y. Supp. 38. This continues to be the prevailing rule with respect l;o all actions upon contracts of which the consideration is something having a specific value in money. In such cases mental suffering is treated as not beihg within the limitations of the doctrine of proximate cause and natural consequences, as set- Civ. App. 766, 27 S. W. 268; Thompson v. Telegraph Co., 107 N. 0. 449, 12 S. E. 427. A line of cases contra is based upon a decision in So Relle v. Telegraph Co., 65 Tex. 308, 40 Am. Rep. 805, which has been followed in several states; Western Union Telegraph Co. V. Henderson, 89 Ala. 610, 7 South. 419, 18 Am. St. Rep. 148; Wadsworth v. Tel. Co., 86 Tenn. 695, 8 S. W. 574, 6 Am. St. Rep. 864; Reese v. Telegraph Co., 123 Ind. 294, 24 N. E. 163, 7 L. R. A. 683; Shepard V. Ry. Co., 77 la. 54, 41 N. W. 564; Porter V. R. Co., 71 Mo. 66, 36 Am. Rep. 454; Leach v, Leach, 11 Tex. Civ. App^ 699, 33 S. W. 703; but the doctrine of these cases has been the subject of severe criticism; Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Rogers, 68 Miss. 748, 9 South. 823, 13 L. R. A. 859, 24 Am. St. Rep. 300. Substantial damages may be recovered for mental anguish, irrespective of physical injury caused by negligently delaying the delivery of a telegram; Cushion v. Telegraph Co., 123 N. C. 267, 31 S. B. 493; Cowan v. Telegraph Co., 122 la. 379, 98 N. W. 281, 64