ÿWPCñ /# ¢UN­ %û 0(b)w@14q…” 0Jœ 0Tæ 0^: 0h˜ 0r 0|r 0†î 0t 1u 0dyU >ÝB) AQD Æ• 0D[ 0@Ÿ 0Dß DC# D/f B• B² D3Ï AM U*O 'y v~  vÓ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡- ù- ¯,°,[±,²,³,e´,Eµ,E¶,E·,Ó€Á,ê‚_#3|xÁ,2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó7Border 1dd(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd!#%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌJune€16,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHØ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ellan Geneva ÒÒ  ellan Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ћрÑÑ7€v^XXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñœò òÞ ÞÌBILLY›€RAY€LONG€and€VICKY€LONG,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€CircuitÌà àPlaintiffs/Appellants,à àà àà à)à àNo.€96C„363Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€à à)à àAppeal€No.ÌLANDMARK€TELEVISION€OF€TENNESSEE,à à)€à à01A01„9709„CV„00483ÌINC.,€and€JAMES€E.€NORTON,€Individually,€à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellees,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÙ€!ÙœßR€*,%A1-j|H™` ç `€€@ÿRß›à@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€DAVIDSON€COUNTY€CIRCUIT€COURTÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àHONORABLE€WALTER€C.€KURTZ,€JUDGEÌó óÌÌÌJames€L.€Harris,€#14173Ì2400€Crestmoor€RoadÌNashville,€Tennessee€37215ÌATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTSÌÌLeilani€Boulware,€#15656ÌHARWELL,€HOWARD,€HYNE,€GABBART€&€MANNER,€P.C.Ì1800€First€American€CenterÌ315€Deaderick€StreetÌNashville,€Tennessee€37238ÌATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANTS/APPELLEESÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÔ€¼Ôò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óÔ€XÔÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌÌCONCURS:ÌÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÌò òÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌBILLY€RAY€LONG€and€VICKY€LONG,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€CircuitÌà àPlaintiffs/Appellants,à àà àà à)à àNo.€96C„363Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€à à)à àAppeal€No.ÌLANDMARK€TELEVISION€OF€TENNESSEE,à à)€à à01A01„9709„CV„00483ÌINC.,€and€JAMES€E.€NORTON,€Individually,€à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellees,à àà àà à)ÌÌÔ€¼Ôà@ àòòÔ€„ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€XÔóóó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌÓÓà àThe€captioned€plaintiffs€have€appealed€from€a€summary€dismissal€of€their€joint€suitÏagainst€the€employer€of€Mr.€Long€and€his€superior€for€alleged€emotional€injury€resulting€fromÏverbal€and€physical€harassment€of€Mr.€Long€by€said€supervisor.ÌÌà àThe€complaint,€filed€on€January€29,€1996,€alleges€in€pertinent€part:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓà à5.à àThat€from€1988€until€on€or€about€July€21,Ï1995€Plaintiff€did€endure€verbal€and€physical€harassmentÏfrom€Defendant€James€E.€Norton,€his€Supervisor.€€ThatÏJames€E.€Norton,€as€agent€of€€Defendant€Company,€wasÏacting€in€the€course€and€scope€of€his€employment€when€theseÏacts€were€committed€upon€Plaintiff.€€Specifically,€the€actsÏcommitted€upon€Plaintiff€by€Defendantððs€agent,€James€E.ÏNorton,€were€that€Mr.€Norton€would€continuously€grab€theÏPlaintiff€on€certain€areas€of€his€body€with€the€intention€ofÏabusing€him€because€of€his€obesity.€€That€these€acts€wouldÏtake€place€in€front€of€fellow€employees€and€caused€PlaintiffÍto€have€severe€embarrassment,€humiliation,€and€emotionalÏdistress.€€That€Plaintiff€complained€to€Management€OfficialsÏabout€Defendant€James€E.€Nortonððs€behavior,€but€suchÏbehavior€continued.ÌÌà à6.à àThat€as€a€result€of€this€continuing€verbal€andÏphysical€harassment€Plaintiff€had€to€take€medical€leave€ofÏabsence€from€work.ÌÌà à7.à àAs€a€direct€result€of€the€Defendantððs€actionsÏin€maliciously,€wilfully,€wantonly€and€total€disregard€ofÏPlaintiffððs€rights,€Plaintiff€has€suffered,€and€will€in€the€futureÏfor€an€indefinite€period€of€time,€or€permanently,€continue€toÏsuffer€from€having€endured€the€Defendant,€James€E.ÏNortonððs€actions.ÌÌà à8.à àThe€above€mentioned€acts€of€Defendant,ÏJames€E.€Norton,€are€a€direct€and€proximate€cause€of€injuriesÏsustained€by€Plaintiff.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà à10.à àAs€a€direct€and€proximate€result€of€theÏintentional€acts€of€Defendants,€Plaintiff€Vicky€Long€hasÏsustained€emotional€stress€and€suffering€caused€by€seeingÏher€husband,€Billy€Ray€Long,€suffer€serious€pain€andÏsuffering€due€to€the€injuries€he€received€as€a€direct€result€ofÏthe€intentional€acts€of€Defendantððs€agent.ÌÌà à11.à àAs€a€direct€and€proximate€result€of€theÏintentional€acts€of€Defendants,€Plaintiff€Vicky€Long€lost€for€aÏperiod€of€time€the€services,€companionship,€consortium,€andÏsociety€of€Billy€Ray€Long€to€which€she€is€entitled€as€hisÏWife,€thus€Defendants€are€liable€to€the€Plaintiff,€Vicky€LongÏfor€the€aforesaid€loss.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà à13.à àPlaintiff€further€charges€that€the€intentionalÏacts€of€defendants€in€verbally€and€physically€harassingÏPlaintiff€amounted€to€negligent€infliction€of€emotionalÏdistress.€€That€Defendant,€Landmark€Television€ofÏTennessee,€Inc.€had€a€duty€to€supervise€and€control€theÏactions€of€its€employee,€James€E.€Norton,€and€that€by€failingÏto€supervise€or€control€Defendant€James€E.€Norton€didÏbreach€that€duty€of€care€causing€Plaintiffððs€injuries€andÏlosses.ÌÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓÌà àThe€joint€answer€of€the€œdefendants›€asserts€that€the€complaint€fails€to€state€a€claim€forÏwhich€relief€can€be€granted€and€that€the€claim€is€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.ÌÌà àThe€defendantsðð€joint€motion€for€summary€judgment€states:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓà àThere€are€no€genuine€issues€of€material€fact€withÏregard€to€the€plaintiffsðð€sole€claim,€that€intentional€verbal€andÏphysical€harassment€of€plaintiff€Billy€Ray€Long€amounted€toÏnegligent€infliction€of€emotional€distress.€€Plaintiffsðð€claimsÏare€time„barred€because,€by€plaintiffsðð€own€admission,€theÏalleged€harassment€of€plaintiff€Billy€Ray€Long€terminatedÏmore€than€a€year€before€plaintiffs€filed€the€present€claim.€ÏRegardless,€Tennesseeððs€workers€compensation€statute€barsÏplaintiffsðð€claims.ÌÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓà àÌà àThe€record€contains€the€affidavit€of€Mr.€Long€which€states:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓà àAlthough€the€physical€touching€stopped€in€AugustÏ1994,€the€mental€harassment€continued€well€into€July€andÏAugust€1995.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà àThat€„„„€until€July€or€August€1995€Norton€continuesÏto€comment€about€my€hair€and€weight€in€front€of€otherÏemployees€causing€me€extreme€embarrassment€andÏhumiliation.ÌÓ  ÓÌÌÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÓ  ÓÓÓà àT.C.A.€ðð€28„3„104€limits€actions€for€injury€to€the€persons€to€one€year€after€theÏinjury.€€In€view€of€the€sworn€admission€of€Mr.€Long€that€the€last€touching€of€his€bodyÏoccurred€more€than€one€year€before€his€suit€was€filed,€plaintiffsðð€claims€for€bodily€injuryÏrequire€no€further€discussion.ÌÌà àThis€leaves€only€their€claim€for€emotional€distress€and€ð ðloss€of€services.ðð€ÌÌà àòòLaxton€v.€Orkin€Exterminating€Coóó.,€Tenn.€1982,€639€S.W.2d€431,€affirmed€a€juryÏverdict€and€judgment€in€favor€of€homeowners€because€of€fears€for€safety€of€themselves€andÏchildren€after€drinking€water€which€was€negligently€contaminated€by€defendant,€althoughÏno€physical€damage€was€sustained.ÌÌà àIn€òòMedlin€v.€Allied€Inv.€Coóó.,€217€Tenn.€469,€398€S.W.2d€270€(1966),€it€was€heldÏthat€where€recovery€is€sought€for€mental€or€emotional€disturbance€alone,€unconnected€withÏany€other€actionable€tort€or€ascertainable€injury,€the€conduct€of€the€defendant€must€beÏoutrageous,€and€must€produce€serious€mental€injury.ÌÌà àIn€òòSwallows€v.€Western€Electric€Coóó.,€Tenn.€1976,€543€S.W.2d€581,€it€was€heldÏthat€ð ðoutrageous€conductðð€must€be€œso›€extreme€in€degree,€as€to€be€beyond€the€pale€ofÏdecency,€and€to€be€regarded€as€atrocious€and€utterly€intolerable€in€civilized€society,€and€theÏconduct€must€result€in€serious€injury.ÌÌà àIn€òòDunbar€v.€Strimasóó,€Tenn.€App.€1981,€632€S.W.2d€558,€the€complaint€stated€thatÏan€acting€county€medical€examiner€was€informed€that€the€plaintiff€was€suffering€from€aÏnervous€breakdown,€nevertheless€reported€to€plaintiff€that€the€body€of€her€19€month€oldÏinfant€child€bore€evidence€of€sexual€abuse€and€suffocation,€and€that€ð ðeverybody€wouldÏhave€to€be€questioned.ðð€€It€was€held€that€a€case€of€ð ðintentional€or€reckless€infliction€ofÏsevere€emotional€distressðð€was€stated€by€the€complaint.ÌÌà àIn€òòJohnson€v.€Womanððs€Hospitalóó,€Tenn.€App.€1975,€527€S.W.2d€133,€the€hospitalÏand€doctor€were€sued€for€breach€of€contract€and€outrageous€conduct€by€delivering€aÏpremature€baby,€certifying€a€live€birth€and€a€subsequent€death€and€thereafter€displaying€theÏbody€in€a€jar€of€formaldehyde.€€This€Court€affirmed€a€jury€verdict€and€judgment€against€theÏhospital€for€compensatory€and€punitive€damages€for€outrageous€conduct,€citing€òòMedlin,Íóósupra.,€but€reversed€both€recoveries€against€the€doctor.€€It€was€also€held€that€punitiveÏdamages€may€not€be€awarded€for€breach€of€contract.ÌÌà àIn€òòKnoxville€Traction€Co.€v.€Laneóó,€103€Tenn.€376,€535€S.W.€557,€46€LRA€549Ï(1899),€an€award€of€damages€to€a€passenger€on€a€street€car€who€was€insulted€by€theÏoperator€was€affirmed€on€the€grounds€of€the€obligation€of€the€defendant€as€a€commonÏcarrier.ÌÌà àIn€òòColsher€v.€Tenn.€Electric€Power€Coóó.,€19€Tenn.€App.€166,€84€S.W.2d€117Ï(1935),€a€directed€verdict€for€the€defendants€was€affirmed€where€representatives€of€theÏpower€company€were€accused€of€ð ðbreaking€intoðð€a€latticed€back€porch€to€examine€theÏelectric€meter€as€permitted€by€utility€regulations,€and€the€only€injury€alleged€was€mental€andÏemotional.ÌÌà àFrom€all€of€the€foregoing,€this€Court€concludes€that€neither€the€defendant€employerÏnor€its€supervisor€were€liable€to€either€of€the€plaintiffs€for€physical€harm€because€of€the€barÏof€the€statute€of€limitations,€that€the€relationship€of€employer€and€employee€is€contractualÏand€does€not€include€the€right€to€sue€for€tortious€misconduct,€that€the€WorkersÏCompensation€Law€provides€the€only€remedy€for€tortious€misconduct€involvingÏemployment,€and€that€the€undisputed€facts€of€this€case€negative€any€remedy€for€ð ðoutrageousÏconduct.ðð€€The€relationship€of€employer€and€employee€is€one€of€contract,€and€the€behaviorÏof€the€supervisor€does€not€qualify€as€ð ðoutrageous.ðð€€The€rights€of€the€wife€of€the€employeeÏin€this€case€depend€upon€the€rights€of€her€husband€and€cannot€prevail€where€the€husbandÏdoes€not€prevail.€€òòTuggle€v.€Allrite€Parking€Systems,€Incóó.,€Tenn.€1996,€922€œS.W.2d›€105.ÌÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€againstÏthe€plaintiffs.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€Trial€Court€for€necessary€further€proceedings.ÌÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓ  ÓÔ€¼Ôò òÌAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óÔ€XÔÌÓÓÌÓ  Óà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.ÏTODDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDINGÏJUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌCONCURS:ÌÌÌ______________________________ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌ______________________________ÌWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÌÌÌÓ  Ó