Bethards v. Shivvers, Inc.

UHLENHOPP, Justice.

The central question in this appeal is whether the evidence of the tort of inten tional infliction of severe emotional distress is sufficient for submission to a jury. We view the evidence in the light most favorable to the plaintiffs, who prevailed at trial. Dickerson v. Young, 332 N.W.2d 93, 96 (Iowa 1983).

Harry Bethards and M. Elouise Be-thards, spouses, own a farm west of Cen-terville, Iowa. During the winter of 1978-1979, the Bethards gave permission to a neighbor, Ernest Houston, to haul 1500-pound bales of hay from his land across a field in the southeast portion of…