Mr. Miller said publicly about Mr. Johnson that he behaves strangely around children and that Mr. Johnson is a pedophile. Two days later, Mr. Johnson is terminated from his job as a baseball coach. This example illustrates perfectly, how, regardless of knowledge and facts, Mr. Johnson’s reputation is damaged and how a, possibly, wrong statement caused him to lose his job.
If your reputation has been hurt and you believe you have become a victim of defamation or if you have been accused of defaming somebody, contact our defamation attorneys.
What is defamation?By definition, defamation is any statement that injures a third party’s reputation, regardless of whether the statement was written or oral. Further, defamation causes someone to be ridiculed, embarrassed, lose employment and be lowered in the opinion of the community. Libel and slander are synonymous with defamation
Elements of DefamationIt is important to understand that not any unwelcome statement can be suit for defamation. In order to find that the plaintiff should be granted damages for defamation, the plaintiff must provide credible evidence that the statement was false and that plaintiff was aware of the fallacy. Consider the following points of evidence to prove:
Defamation is a difficult wrong to prove, as there are various factors that are to be taken into consideration. The court must evaluate the defendant’s investigation or lack there of concerning the accuracy of the statement. It is important to understand how thorough the investigation was handled which ultimately reflects upon the nature and interest of the person to whom the statement was communicated. Generally, defamation damages will not be awarded if the defendant had an honest but yet mistaken belief in the truth of the statement.
If you have any questions regarding defamation, libel and slander, if your reputation has been damaged by someone else or if you have been accused of defaming a third party, contact one of our defamation and slander attorneys today.
Defamation lawsuits typically end in settlements
When dealing with defamation lawsuits cases may generally settle outside of the courtroom. This is a way to limit publicity and avoid further damage to the public image of the person involved.
Slander, defamation and libel are commonly confused terms. While all generally refer to the injury of a persons reputation through the inaccurate claims of a third party, the means by which the information is relayed creates separate issues with descrete laws.
Defamation and Slander OnlineWith the popularity of social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, linkedin, myspace, naymez and more, personal and business reputations can be tarnished online in a matter of seconds. A personal injury lawyer specializing in slander and defamation claims can help those injured recoup monetary compensation.