Have the words and assertions of someone else severely damaged your reputation or livelihood? If so, you could have a legitimate defamation claim to recover financial damages. In our current world of ubiquitous Internet access, fake social media accounts impersonating someone, and interconnectivity, the words of others can have a powerful sway in the public eye, and when this fact isn’t respected, lives can be affected.
At Okabe & Haushalter, we understand that, for many individuals, their reputation is tied directly to how they run their enterprises and support themselves and their families. California laws do provide remedies for libel and slander and our experienced and knowledgeable Los Angeles defamation lawyers know how to compellingly put forth a claim that demands proper compensation.
Interested in learning more about your defamation claim options? Call Okabe & Haushalter at 310-543-7708 now.
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When false statements spread online or through professional circles, the damage can happen fast. A Los Angeles defamation lawyer can help you identify who made the statement, where it was published, and what evidence supports that it was presented as fact and is false. This often includes preserving screenshots, posts, comments, emails, text messages, and business records before they disappear or are edited.
Working with a defamation attorney early also helps protect your claim timeline and your options for financial recovery. If you are dealing with harmful written statements in articles, reviews, social media posts, or other publications, a libel claims attorney can evaluate whether the content meets the legal requirements for libel under California law and what damages may be available based on the impact to your livelihood.
Defamation claims fall into two categories: libel claims, which involve written, published statements that harm the reputation of others, and slander, which is defamation that is spoken in public. Both of these actions are addressed in Cal. Civ. Code §§ 44, 45a, and 46 and require certain criteria to be put forth to the court.
Critical elements of a defamation claim include:
Defamation cases often come from situations where someone makes a damaging claim and presents it as a fact, not an opinion. Some common examples include false accusations of criminal conduct, dishonest business practices, professional incompetence, fraud, or unethical behavior that are published online or repeated to others in your industry. In many cases, the harm shows up quickly as lost clients, reduced revenue, job consequences, or strained relationships in your community.
Strong claims are usually supported by clear documentation. Helpful evidence can include screenshots and URLs, publication dates, witnesses who heard the statement, messages showing the defendant knew the claim was false, and records that prove the reputational and financial fallout. A Los Angeles defamation lawyer can help organize this information in a way that supports the required elements and presents your losses clearly.
In California, the statute of limitations for defamation claims is only one year—so the time you have to file your claim against the responsible parties is limited. If you feel that your life has been adversely affected by the false assertions of someone else, then the time to act is now. Call our dedicated team at Okabe & Haushalter to start exploring your civil suit options today.
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