Defaming someone on the Internet may seem like an innocent enough action, but recent litigation has shown this to be something prosecutable. Atlanta personal injury attorney Christopher Simon warns people against going too far in the content they post against others online. As three recent cases show, the results could be quite damaging.
Over the past 15 months, Georgia courts have awarded three six-figure verdicts to plaintiffs who suffered because of defaming actions of blog posts on the Internet. In January of 2011, $404,000 was awarded to a plaintiff who claimed he had been falsely accused of pedophilia and drug crimes online in Union County. The following month, Gwinnett County State Court judge gave $533,000 to a police officer who sued for libel on the web from someone she had arrested. The most recent case occurred in February of 2012, when a woman was asked to pay $900,000 for blaming a couple for the actions of a convicted murderer.
These large verdicts show how seriously the courts are taking the crime of libel. While the plaintiffs will see little of this money because of the lack of assets on the part of the defendants in all three cases, the precedent is going to stand. People who have differences with others and are tempted to take those differences online should stop and think about the potential consequences, particularly if they are just venting and have no proof of their accusations.
If you find yourself facing a situation where someone has defamed you online, you do not have to stand up and take the abuse. As these three cases show, the courts are ruling in the favor of people in your situation. Give our office a call to learn more about how you can protect your rights and reputation by taking those who are defaming you to court for their actions. Atlanta personal injury attorney Christopher Simon has the experience to handle your case.
