IF YOU ARE HURT BECAUSE OF LIES TOLD OR POSTED ON THE INTERNET ABOUT YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS, YOU MAY HAVE A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR DEFAMATION.
OUR FIRM HAS SECURED ONE OF THE FIRST INTERNET DEFAMATION VERDICTS IN CALIFORNIA.
- Defamation is damaging another person’s reputation.
As codified in California Civil Code §§44, 45, 45a and 46, defamation is effected by either libel (in print or written) and/or slander (orally uttered), which exposes any person to hatred, contempt, ridicule or obloquy, or which causes him/her/it to be shunned or avoided, or which has tendency to injure the person’s occupation.
In California, a private figure plaintiff bringing a defamation lawsuit must prove that the defendant was at least negligent with respect to the truth or falsity of the allegedly defamatory statements. Public officials, all-purpose public figures, and limited-purpose public figures must prove that the defendant acted with actual malice, i.e., knowing that the statements were false or recklessly disregarding their falsity.
- The advent of the internet technology has forever changed the way we communicate and connect on a personal as well as professional level – through various web hosting services and social media.
Used prudently, the internet continues to be a huge measure of success and prosperity for many individuals and business throughout the world. Conversely, spewing false facts through the internet and damaging another person’s reputation hurts and it may be actionable under the California defamation law.
- It is every person’s First Amendment exercise of free speech to voice an opinion or state facts about another person. That line is crossed when lies are published to damage another person’s reputation.
If you have been injured or sustained damages as a result of a defamatory statement made in the internet consumer review or social media websites such as the following, feel free to contact us.
- Ripoff Report;
- RateMDs;
- WebMD;
- Facebook;
- Twitter;
- LinkedIn;
- Google +;
- You Tube;
- Instagram; and
- Yelp.