They sued him on the following counts:
1. Assault; .
2. Battery;
3 - Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress; and 4. False Imprisonment. :
The important count here is Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (“IIED”), because of the possibility of punitive damages. These are awarded ‘‘consistent with the wealth of the defendant,5 in other words, if defendant hab very little money, they will be low, but if defendant has a lot of money, the punitive damages will be high- For an award of punitive damages the tort must intentional, not accidental, and it must “shock the conscience.55
For most torts, the award is limited to compensatory damages, an award of money to compensate for the money and time, that the plaintiff has lost, and for the pain and suffering that the plaintiff has endured.