If someone has made a false statement about you and it caused you harm, you have the right to pursue retribution in court. Unfortunately, if you are unable to prove how the statement harmed you, your chances of success in court can dwindle. To help you find the proof that you need, it is important to understand the types of damages that can occur after a statement is made.
Financial Damages
Financial damages occur when a person makes a defamatory statement that causes you to lose business, your job, or impact your income in some other way. For instance, if someone falsely stated that you used your business as a locksmith to gain entry into homes so that you could rob the homeowners and you lost customers, you could receive compensation.
Proving financial damages can sometimes be difficult, but not impossible. For instance, you could provide financial records showing how much your business earned before and after the false statement. By comparing the differences in your earnings, you could easily argue that the statement had a negative impact on your business.
Sometimes, it is easier to prove financial damages. If you lost your job as a direct result of the statement, you need only supply proof of the income you were earning. You can also ask the court to compensate you for the period of time it takes for you to find another position.
Financial damages are not just limited to wages or business lost. You can also ask the court to compensate you for any funds that were spent trying to repair the damage done by the false statement. If you used television and newspaper advertisements to spread the word that the statement was false, include the cost of those services in your lawsuit.
Mental or Physical Damages
If the defamatory statements about you led to mental or physical problems, there is a possibility that you could receive compensation. For instance, if you suffered depression as the result of losing your job or customers, you could argue that you should receive compensation that covers your medical bills. It is because defamation falls under personal injury, you can also ask for pain and suffering.
Establishing that you suffered mentally or physically can be as simple as providing your medical records to the court. You should also ask friends and family to provide testimony about the way you suffered after the statements were made.
A personal injury attorney can provide a sound assessment of your situation and help you further explore how you can prove your damages.
To learn more, contact a law firm like Gartner Law Firm.
