By Jeremy D. Hollingshead, Esq. | June 19, 2025

Can you get money for emotional pain if you’re fired unfairly? If your boss discriminates against you, but you don’t have medical records showing depression or anxiety, do you still have a case?

According to Missouri law, the answer is yes. And in case after case, Missouri juries have been awarding damages for emotional distress in workplace discrimination lawsuits—and those awards are rarely overturned.

Understanding Emotional Distress Damages

In employment law, “emotional distress damages” refer to money a jury can award you for the emotional harm caused by discrimination, retaliation, or harassment at work. Think anxiety, depression, humiliation, fear of losing your home, or just feeling broken down over time.

The Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA) allows victims of illegal discrimination to recover these damages—even without a doctor’s note or therapy records.

That’s not just theory—it’s settled law in Missouri.

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Key Takeaways from Missouri Court Decisions

Let’s break down what Missouri appellate courts have said in plain English:

✅ You don’t need medical records or expert testimony to prove emotional distress

In State ex rel. Sir v. Gateway Taxi Management Co., the court clearly held that a plaintiff’s own testimony—about what they personally experienced—is enough to support a jury’s award for emotional harm. The court explained that emotional suffering is something jurors can understand from everyday life. So if you tell the jury how discrimination affected you, they’re allowed to believe you and award damages based on that alone.

🧑‍⚖️ Juries have broad power to award emotional distress damages

In Soto v. Costco Wholesale Corp., the jury awarded $250,000 for emotional distress after a supervisor retaliated against an employee who reported workplace misconduct. The Missouri Court of Appeals refused to second-guess the jury, emphasizing that emotional harm doesn’t require physical injury or professional diagnosis. The court stressed that Missouri law gives juries wide discretion to decide what’s fair compensation for emotional suffering.

📚 Appellate courts rarely disturb these awards

In Wilkins v. Board of Regents of Harris-Stowe State University, the appellate court affirmed a large emotional distress verdict for a university professor subjected to years of racial discrimination. The court made clear that emotional distress is a real and measurable harm, even if there’s no hospital visit or therapist involved. The professor’s testimony—describing isolation, depression, and harm to his reputation—was enough to support the award.

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Why This Matters to Real People

Here’s what this means for you or someone you know who’s experienced workplace discrimination:

• You can recover money for emotional suffering—not just lost paychecks
• You don’t need a doctor or therapist to validate your feelings
• Your own story is powerful enough to support a claim
• Juries are listening, and Missouri courts back them up

This gives everyday workers real hope—and legal leverage—when facing harassment, retaliation, or illegal discrimination.

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Why This Also Matters to Missouri Attorneys

If you’re a Missouri employment lawyer—or thinking about taking on your first MHRA case—these rulings offer strategic guidance:

• Don’t shy away from pursuing significant emotional distress damages in MHRA cases, even without medical documentation.
• Use your client’s own narrative—described with clarity and emotional weight—as the backbone of your case-in-chief.
• Be ready to push back when defense counsel tries to argue that emotional harm needs professional proof. Missouri’s appellate courts have your back.

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Final Thought: Emotional Harm Is Real Harm

Missouri’s courts get it. If you’ve been targeted at work because of your race, gender, disability, or other protected trait, the emotional toll can be crushing. And in this state, you don’t have to suffer in silence.

At Hollingshead & Dudley, we help workers stand up to discrimination—and we know how to hold employers accountable for the emotional damage they cause.

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📞 If you’ve faced workplace discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, contact our team today.

🌐 Visit Our Employment Law Page
📞 (314) 480-5474