Williamson v. Waldman

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

HANDLER, J.

This case is based on plaintiffs complaint for negligent infliction of emotional distress resulting from her fear of contracting AIDS. Plaintiff, a cleaning person, was pricked by a sharp medical instrument that had been discarded improperly in a general trash receptacle at an office shared by several medical doctors. Fearing that she had contracted AIDS from the prick, plaintiff instituted this suit against the doctors to recover damages for her emotional distress.

The case requires the Court to consider the standard for establishing…