In Arlan v. Cervini, 478 A.2d 976, 978 (R.I. 1984), the court wrote "mental suffering is compensable whether the underlying act that caused the plaintiff's injuries is purely mental, purely physical, or a combination thereof."

In Arlan, the Court held that "mental suffering, which may include nervousness, grief, anxiety, worry, shock, humiliation, embarrassment, or indignity, arising from consciousness of a facial or bodily scar, is a compensable element of damages." Id. at 980.