Legal Definitions - physical-impact rule

The physical-impact rule is a legal requirement that physical contact must have occurred to allow damages for negligent infliction of emotional distress. This means that in order to sue for emotional distress caused by someone's negligence, there must have been some physical contact or injury involved.

For example, if a person is in a car accident and suffers emotional distress as a result of the accident, they may only be able to sue for emotional distress if they also suffered physical injuries in the accident. If they did not suffer any physical injuries, they may not be able to sue for emotional distress alone.

It's important to note that this rule has been abandoned in most jurisdictions, meaning that emotional distress can now be compensated for without the requirement of physical contact or injury.