Slander is a form of defamation, where a spoken statement is made that causes harm to your reputation or that of your business and this results in a loss. If you are a business owner or a professional, slander can be extremely damaging.
If you have experienced slander, you are advised to seek legal advice to prevent it from continuing. An expert slander solicitor will be able to write to the party involved and warn them to stop. You can also consider bringing legal action against them if your reputation or that of your business has been damaged and you have suffered loss as a result.
Slander is classed as a non-permanent defamatory statement, unlike libel, which is a written and therefore permanent defamatory statement.
Summary
- How Do I Prove Slander?
- Is Slander Illegal?
- How to File a Slander Lawsuit
- How Difficult Is It To Sue For Slander?
- Claiming Remedies For Slander
- Contact Our Slander and Defamation Solicitors
- FAQ
How Do I Prove Slander?
To prove slander, your claim needs to satisfy the following points:
- The statement was made against an identifiable individual or organisation and is defamatory, ie. it disparages them or their business
- The statement was made as if it was a fact, rather than someone’s opinion
- The statement was made to a third party
- The statement caused a quantifiable monetary loss to the individual or business, as well as damage to their reputation, although there are some small exceptions where damage to reputation is enough to constitute slander
By way of example, a gamekeeper whose role it was to preserve foxes was slandered when a statement was made saying that he was poisoning them. The statement directly attacked his ability to carry out his job and it was not necessary for him to show that he had suffered an actual quantifiable monetary loss as well.
Is Slander Illegal?
Defamation cases are usually handled as civil claims under the Defamation Act 2013, so slander is not considered a crime. Your recourse will be through the civil justice system and not the criminal courts. However, it is still possible to seek support from business defamation solicitors.
How to File a Slander Lawsuit
You are advised to speak to a solicitor before starting a claim for slander as the process can be lengthy and there are cost implications to consider. An experienced slander solicitor will be able to explore other options, such as writing a formal letter to the other party requiring them to stop and pursuing a negotiated settlement if you or your business have experienced loss.
How Much Does It Cost To Sue For Slander?
Pursuing a slander case can be expensive and you may be advised to try and resolve matters without going to court if possible.
How Difficult Is It To Sue For Slander?
To win a slander case, you would need to provide evidence of the above points. You might also need to disprove a defence, for example, that the statement was not an honestly held opinion. This is not always straightforward and is often time-consuming. Your solicitor will be able to discuss the strength of your case with you and give you an honest opinion of your likely success.
Claiming Remedies For Slander
The court has the power to order the following remedies for defamation:
- A damages payment
- The other party make an undertaking not to make any further defamatory statements
- The other party issued an apology
- The other party retract the statement
Contact Our Slander and Defamation Solicitors
If you have been the victim of slander or you have been accused of slander, speak to our dedicated defamation solicitors for advice.
Contact us by calling our team or emailing us at info@witansolicitors.co.uk and we will be happy to help you.
FAQ
Can I report slander or libel to the police?
If statements are made which are threatening, grossly offensive or obscene, then this could constitute malicious communication, which is a criminal offence. This could be reported to the police. Generally, this requires the communication to be by way of letter, electronic communication or article.
What are the defences for slander?
It is a defence to show that the statement was substantially true. It is also a defence for the defendant to show that the statement was an honestly held opinion.
