Injurious Falsehood: Elements, Examples, and Defenses

Study Notes

Injurious Falsehoods

Injurious falsehood is a common law tort that arises when one person makes a statement that they know is false and causes injury to another's reputation. This type of defamation involves spreading intentionally damaging information that can harm someone's personal or professional standing. It does not necessarily have to involve slander or libel; any communication method, including verbal and written means, can be used to propagate injurious falsehoods.

Elements of Injurious Falsehood

There are three essential elements required to establish the tort of injurious falsehood:

Statement must be false: The first element requires proof that the statement made is indeed untrue. If the statement was true, it would not be considered defamatory.
Knowledge of falsity: The second element required is evidence showing the speaker knew their statement was false or that they had reason to believe it was false. Without this knowledge of falsity, the accusation cannot be proven.
Damage to reputation: The third element is proving that the false statement caused harm to the victim's reputation. Reputational damage may occur if the false information influences others to view the person unfavorably, causing them social, economic, or other types of harm.

Example of Injurious Falsehood

A classic example of injurious falsehood can be seen in the case of Brown v. Stockdale. Here, the defendant, Mr. A., stated that his neighbor, Mrs. B., had been charged with theft from her employer. Although these allegations were false, they were still broadcasted through public channels, resulting in widespread damage to Mrs. B.'s reputation.

Defenses against Injurious Falsehood

There are several defenses available to a person accused of injurious falsehood:

Truth: If the statement made is true, even if it is damaging, it is not considered defamatory.
Honest Opinion: If the statement made is an expression of a person's genuine and genuinely held opinion, it is less likely to be considered defamatory.
Privilege: Certain circumstances may provide legal protection, such as statements made in court proceedings or statements made in good faith to prevent harm to others.

Injurious falsehoods can cause significant damage to a person's reputation and personal or professional life. It is essential to be aware of the elements required to prove this tort and the defenses available to those accused.

Description

Learn about injurious falsehood, a common law tort involving false statements that harm someone's reputation. Explore the essential elements required to establish this tort, examples like the case of Brown v. Stockdale, and defenses available to those accused of spreading injurious falsehoods.