California Defamation Lawyers
Fighting to Restore Your Reputation

A person's reputation is sometimes all he or she has in terms of standing in the community. When that reputation is damaged, it can cause harm in every aspect of life and be almost irreparable in nature. If this has happened to you or someone you love, you need to fight for your rights with the help of California defamation lawyers.

Below you'll find information regarding the nature of defamation claims, the difficulty that one can encounter when attempting to pursue a claim for defamation and finally how you should proceed if you need to restore your reputation with the help of experienced California defamation lawyers.

The Nature of California Defamation Claims

Defamation is somewhat related to personal injury claims in that negligence can be involved. However, there are specific elements of defamation that must be proven in order for a legal claim to be successful. These elements include:

1. The publication or communication of a statement of fact;
2. Such statement of fact is false;
3. Such communication is not protected by privilege;
4. Such communication has a natural tendency to cause injury or lead to damages; and
5. The defendant was negligent in the least or purposeful at the worst when publishing or communicating the damaging statement at issue.

Basically, defamation involves smearing someone's character, capabilities, integrity or general standing as a human being such that those who hear or read these statements that are offered as facts lead to some sort of damages for the plaintiff.

Challenges in Proving a Claim of Defamation

In general, proving a claim of defamation without the help of California defamation lawyers can be extremely difficult. While proof of the uttering or writing of a statement that's held out as fact can be relatively straightforward, the real challenge comes in proving damages for the plaintiff.

In order to prove damages, the plaintiff will need to show that the statement or statements were made to people or entities that led to some sort of harm to the plaintiff. Examples of harm can include the ending of a business contract, the refusal to recommend the plaintiff for some sort of position or many other results that the plaintiff must show led to harm.

Ultimately, you owe it to yourself to protect your reputation. If you find that you've been defamed, you need the help of the California defamation lawyers at the San Diego law firm of Mitchell | Gilleon. Contact the firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.