ClosedMemoBriefs

Gatesv.Richardson
FactsJohnnyGateswasridinghisbicyclewithinaschoolzoneinGreenRiver,
Wyoming.Johnnywascarriedseventyonefeetandknockedintothepavementdue
tobeinghitbyKellyRichardsonsvehicle,aswitnessedbyhisbrotherJoseph.Johnny
sufferedmassivebraininjury,wasinacoma,andlostsightandhearing.Peggy
Merryman(mother)andKristina(oldersister)didnotphysicallysetheaccident,but
witnessedtheimmediateaftermathofJohnnylayinginthestreetseverelyinjuredand
bleeding.Allthreefamilymemberspresenceattheaccidentsceneallegedlycaused
theprofoundemotionalshock.Themother,sister,andbrotherbroughtsuitagainst
RichardsonforNegligentInflictionofEmotionalDistress.
ProceduralHistoryTrialcourtruledthatitwasnotactionableinWyoming.
IssuewhetherNIEDisactionableinWyoming
RuleofLaw(1)plaintiffswhocouldbringawrongfuldeathactionfortheprimary
victimsdeath
(2)theplaintiffmustobservetheimmediateresultswithoutsubstantialchangetothe
conditionorlocationofthevictim.
HoldingThecourtheldthatthefamilyhadawrongfuldeathclaim.Joseph,mom
andsistermeetthesecondstandardofthetest.Thefatherandstepfatherdonot
becausetheywerenotpresentatthetimeoftheaccident.
JudgementReversed
ReasoningThemother,brother,andsistersclaimsshouldnothavebeendismissed.
Theywitnessedtheincidenttakeplacebutthefatherandstepfatherdidnot.Although
theymayhavebeennegativelyaffectedbywhathappened,theywerenotthereatthe
timeoftheincident.Thecourtswouldhavetoomanycasesiftheydidnotlimittheir
scopeandrequirecertainstandardsbemet.

Contrerasv.CarbonCountySchoolDistrict

FactsPershingElementarySchoolhasaplaygroundsegmentedintotwosections.
Onesidewasfortheyoungerchildrenandtheotherwasfortheolderones.Oneday,
assomeoftheolderboyswereplayingneartheedgeoftheboundaryseparatingthe
twoparts,therewasanincident.Oneoftheboystriedtocatchafootballpassand
trippedoverJamesContrerasandacoupleofotherkidstrippedoverthemaswell.
Jameswascarriedintotheschoolbuildingandhismotherwascalled.Whenhismom
arrivedattheschool,shecouldhearJamescryingfromoutsideofthebuilding.An
ambulancewascalledathismothersrequestandshewitnessedthetwistedfemurin
hislegwhentheparamedicscuthispantsopen.
ProceduralHistoryThetrialcourtgrantedsummaryjudgement
IssuewhetherMrs.Contreraswitnessinghersoninpainaftertheincidentmeetsthe
standardofNIED
RuleofLawTheimmediacytestallowssometimetoelapsebetweenthetimeof
injuryandthetimeofobservation.Oncethevictimsconditionorlocationhas
materiallychangedthemomentofcrisisforwhichrecoveryisallowedisdeemedto
havepassed,regardlessofthebrevityoftimewhichhaselapsedsincetheaccident.
HoldingThecourtfoundthatMrs.Contrerasfailedtomeetthesecondelementof
theGatestest,theimmediacyoftheobservation.
JudgementAffirmed
ReasoningMrs.Contrerasonlywitnessedtheaftermathoftheincident.Although
sheheardhisscreamsandsawhiminpain,sheneveractuallysawtheincidenttake
place.

ThunderHawkv.UnionPacificRailroadCompany
FactsAlex,whowassixyearsold,wasplayingnearfoursetsofrailroadtrackswith
friends.Hewenttoplayinoneofthetrainsand,althoughitwasstoppedwhenhe
entered,hewas
ProceduralHistoryDistrictCourtgrantedsummaryjudgementinfavorofUnion
Pacificonallclaims
IssueWhethertheparentsclaimmeetsthestandardsforNIED

RuleofLawTheapplicationofNIEDislimitedto(1)kinship(2)observanceofthe
incidentorimmediatelyfollowingit(3)thosewhoselovedonedidsustaindeathor
seriousbodilyinjury
HoldingTheparentsfailedtopresentevidencetocreateagenuineissueofmaterial
factastotheimmediacyrequirementofthesecondelement,observanceofthe
incident.
JudgementAffirmed
ReasoningTheparentswerenotpresentatthetimeoftheaccident,thereforetheydo
notmeetthesecondstandardofNIED.

Roitzv.Kidman
FactsKidmanwasdrivingwithKristopherinthepassengerseat.Kristopherwas
thrownoutofthecarwhenitcollidedwiththecattle.
ProceduralHistorysummaryjudgement;districtcourtfoundthatnogenuineissueof
materialfactexistedontheparentsclaimsforNIED
Issuewhetherthedistrictcourterredinthepartialsummaryjudgementinfavorof
AppelleeKidmanetalontheparentsNIEDclaim
RuleofLawAplaintiffcanrecoverforNIEDonlyifheobservedtheinflictionof
seriousbodilyharmordeath,orifheobservedtheseriousbodilyharmordeath
shortlyafteritsoccurrencebutwithoutmaterialchangeintheconditionandlocation
ofthevictim.
HoldingNo;thedistrictcourtdidnoterrinpartialsummaryjudgementinfavorof
appellee
JudgementAffirmed
ReasoningTheparentsarrivedatthehospitalandwereneverpresentatthetimeof
theincident.