Cunningham v. Mertz — 265 A.D.2d 370

Majority

p. 370

Thomas F. Cunningham, Appellant, v Esther M. Mertz et al., Respondents.

[696 NYS2d 839]

—In an action to recover damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress and for prima facie tort, the plaintiff appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Dutchess County (Beisner, J.), entered July 17, 1998, which granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a cause of action.

Ordered that the order is affirmed, with costs.

The Supreme Court properly concluded that the plaintiff’s complaint failed to state a cause of action alleging intentional infliction of emotional distress. The words attributed to the defendants were not “ ‘so outrageous in character, and so extreme in degree, as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency, and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community’ ” (Murphy v American Home Prods. Corp., 58 NY2d 293 , 303 quoting Restatement [Second]

p. 371

of Torts § 46 [1], comment d; see, Howell v New York Post Co., 81 NY2d 115 , 121; Fischer v Maloney, 43 NY2d 553 , 557; Ferrandino v Bart & Sons, 247 AD2d 428 ; see also, Krawtchuk v Banco Do Brasil, 183 AD2d 484 ; Misek-Falkoff v Keller, 153 AD2d 841 ; Dinio v Olivar, 265 AD2d 371 [decided herewith]).

The court also properly dismissed the plaintiffs cause of action sounding in prima facie tort (see, Curiano v Suozzi, 63 NY2d 113 , 118; Burns Jackson Miller Summit & Spitzer v Lindner, 59 NY2d 314 ; Belsky v Lowenthal, 47 NY2d 820 ; see also, Gelmin v Quicke, 224 AD2d 481 ; Lincoln First Bank v Siegel, 60 AD2d 270 , 280; Zausner v Fotochrome, Inc., 18 AD2d 649 ). Joy, J. P., Friedmann, Schmidt and Smith, JJ., concur.

Cases cited

Murphy v. American Home Products Corp. 58 NY2d 293 N.Y. 1983-03-29 at 303 p. 370
Howell v. New York Post Co. 81 NY2d 115 N.Y. 1993-04-05 at 121 p. 371
Fischer v. Maloney 43 NY2d 553 N.Y. 1978-02-14 at 557 p. 371
Ferrandino v. Alvin J. Bart & Sons, Inc. 247 AD2d 428 N.Y. App. Div. 1998-02-09 p. 371
Krawtchuk v. Banco Do Brasil, S. A. 183 AD2d 484 N.Y. App. Div. 1992-05-12 p. 371
Misek-Falkoff v. Keller 153 AD2d 841 N.Y. App. Div. 1989-09-11 p. 371
Dinio v. Olivar 265 AD2d 371 N.Y. App. Div. 1999-10-12 p. 371
Curiano v. Suozzi 63 NY2d 113 N.Y. 1984-10-11 at 118 p. 371
Burns Jackson Miller Summit & Spitzer v. Lindner 59 NY2d 314 N.Y. 1983-06-16 p. 371
Belsky v. Lowenthal 47 NY2d 820 N.Y. 1979-05-31 p. 371
Gelmin v. Quicke 224 AD2d 481 N.Y. App. Div. 1996-02-13 p. 371
Lincoln First Bank v. Siegel 60 AD2d 270 N.Y. App. Div. 1977-12-16 at 280 p. 371