The reputation of a person or the reputation of their company is valuable and important. When somebody says something that damages you or your company’s reputation, the repercussions can be severe. In the United Kingdom, there are two types of defamation: slander which is spoken and libel which is written.

 

What is Slander?

Slander is a form of character defamation in which something false and destructive is said about you or your company by someone else, but it can also include gestures. The slander must be directed at someone other than yourself.

 

Slanderous statements include those that:

• Exposes you to ridicule, mockery, or hatefulness

• Causes people to have a negative opinion of you

• Influences people to avoid or shun you

 

How to Claim for Slander?

It is critical that you act quickly if you want to file a claim against someone for slandering you. This is because the time restrictions are limited, and you only have one year from the date of the slanderous statement’s publishing to submit a claim in court. It is extremely unlikely that this time limit will be lengthened, but it is possible under certain conditions.

 

Claims must be filed in the High Court due to no other courts having jurisdiction to hear slander claims. Slanderous claims can be filed online with the High Court, but you must first correspond with your opponent by using Pre Action Protocol for Media and Communications Claims. This Protocol specifies the information that you must provide to your opponent about the case, as well as the response that your opponent must provide to you.

Therefore, you should begin your slander case by sending your opponent a letter of claim that complies with the protocol, and only if the issue cannot be resolved you should then initiate court proceedings. Of course, if you are nearing the end of the one year, you must initiate court proceedings even if you have not yet completed the protocol procedure to ensure that you retain your entitlement to bring a claim. If you believe you are nearing the end of the limitation period, you should seek legal counsel as soon as possible.

 

Evidence Required in Slander Cases

It can be hard to prove that you have been slandered because the false claim about you was not permanently documented. As a result, it is critical that you or your lawyer communicate with witnesses who heard the inaccurate claims about you as soon as possible and obtain written statements from them verifying what has been said about you.

 

It can be challenging to find witnesses to assist you in slander cases, especially if they believed the false statement about you, as this may make them less inclined to assist you. Even so, if necessary, at Van Eaton Solicitors in London we can assist you in obtaining statements from your witnesses.

 

What to do Next

Slander law is highly specialised, and it is critical that you determine whether you have a legitimate claim early on with the assistance of a professional. If you file a claim in the wrong court, do not follow the Protocol procedure correctly, or do not plead your claim correctly, you may be required to pay your opponent’s fees.

 

Van Eaton Solicitors specialises in assisting clients with slander claims. We make every effort to ensure that our clients have access to justice. We can also advise you on how to protect your good name and manage your or your business’s reputation. If you are a victim of slander, you can contact our London-based solicitors for a free, no-obligation consultation. Book your consultation today by calling us on 0208 769 6739 or by completing our online form.