Are physical injuries a prerequisite for a psychological trauma lawsuit?

Some unusual cases of psychological distress claims that Canadian courts have allowed to continue include:

• Prison inmates sued the federal government for “uncomfortable detention” wherein they allegedly were denied lack of access to sunlight, a barber, sufficient library resources, and adequate sleep resulting in extreme depression, erosion of self-worth, feelings of hopelessness, and nervous shock.
• A Calgary resident who sued a grocery co-op after she was banned for shoplifting alleged defamation, shame, loss of family honor, and which led to her husband’s suicide.
• An Ontario motorist who was allegedly speeding, texting and under the influence of alcohol sued 3 bicyclists whom she ran over and caused serious injuries to one and fatal injuries to another alleged her own psychological suffering including PTSD, extreme depression, and catastrophic impairment and anxiety. She did claim the cyclists did not have lights on their bikes, were not wearing helmets, and were not riding in a “prudent manner.”

Although these claims may seem extreme, there are often issues that news reports do not include that would justify or support reasonable and highly plausible allegations of mental distress. In the majority of accident cases where psychological harm is alleged, there are serious and credible factors that cause injured victims severe distress that diminishes their enjoyment of life and ability to function normally.