Business Defamation and Commercial Disparagement
Businesses can live or die based on their reputation, whether among their local community members or online. Now more than ever, businesses must do all they can to protect their reputations from false or unfair statements made in public. If the success of your Illinois business is being threatened by a false statement being made in a public forum, you may need to take legal action in the form of a commercial disparagement or business defamation claim. The experienced Chicago business law attorneys at MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle can help you determine your next steps after your business has become the victim of defamatory statements that have hurt profits.
When can I file a claim for defamation in Illinois?
Business defamation is the act of making an untrue statement in a public place, or a written statement in a publication, that causes a business to suffer a financial loss. Defamation claims are likely to fail where the statements made were true, or if the statement was made in a privileged forum (such as during a trial or legislative hearing). Keep in mind that someone’s opinion of your business cannot form the grounds for a defamation lawsuit. That said, if the opinion also includes untrue statements presented as facts, then the statement could still form the basis for a defamation action.
Along similar lines, businesses may file commercial disparagement claims where another person or business knowingly made false or misleading statements about the targeted business, and that business suffered a profit loss due to the effects of the false or misleading statements. The seasoned, knowledgeable Illinois business litigation attorneys at MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle can help you determine whether you may have a right to file a commercial disparagement or business defamation claim.
Time limits on defamation suits require you to act quickly
If you believe that your business has been the victim of defamation, it is of the utmost importance that you contact an attorney as soon as possible to preserve your claim. The statute of limitations on defamation claims in Illinois is merely a year. If you fail to file a lawsuit within a year after the defamatory statement is made, then you will lose the right to seek damages based on the harm you suffered as a result of the defamation. Acting quickly is especially important when defamatory statements about your Chicago business were made online.
Pursuing business defamation claims when the defamatory statement was published online may require a special investigation into the true identity of the publisher, as well as the need to record evidence of the defamatory statement as soon as possible due to the risk that the statement may be deleted or moved. Contact the dedicated, professional, and effective Hoffman Estates commercial litigation attorneys at MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle for a consultation today if your business has been targeted by defamatory public statements.
Experienced and Successful Chicagoland Business Attorneys for your Commercial Disparagement or Defamation Claim
If your Illinois business has been the victim of defamation or disparagement and you need skilled legal guidance on your options for recuperating lost profits, contact the seasoned and dedicated Chicagoland business defamation lawyers at MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle for a consultation, in Hoffman Estates at 847-310-0025, or in Des Plaines at 847-298-5030.