In Kirby v. Stores Corp., 210 N.C. 808, 188 S.E. 625 (1936), the Supreme Court of North Carolina upheld a jury verdict in favor of a pregnant woman who gave birth to a premature stillborn baby after being frightened by an aggressive debt collector. Id. at 809, 813, 188 S.E. at 625, 628. The jury found that the debt collector had been negligent in his actions and proximately caused the stillborn birth. Id. at 809, 188 S.E. at 625-26. There was no question of contributory negligence by the pregnant woman.