What are the specifics of defamation of character and slander?

Question

In high school, this situation would just be called spreading hurtful rumors and destroying someone's credibility and reputation. But this is in the adult world and involves confidential medical information. The kicker for this situation is that what was said was true, but by making it public, I suffered massive personal injury and prejudice.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, you will have to prove that this person violated confidentiality laws. Might be hard to do. Defamation of character and slander is often defined as someone PUBLISHING a false statement about another person and being named as the source. I doubt these laws would fall under this. But there are definatly other laws that protect a patients confidential medical history. Consult with a lawyer, they often offer free one time consultations.

Answer 2

In British and American law, as well as other legislative systems based thereon, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (of character). Defamation is defined to be the tort or delict of "...publication of a false statement of fact, made with the requisite state of mind, that causes injury"

"Defamation" is the general term used internationally, and is used where it is not necessary to distinguish between "libel" and "slander".

Libel is defamation that is published, but can also happen in other forms, such as effigy, a motion picture, or a statue; slander refers to any verbal, unpublished, defamation.

In many, though not all, legal systems, statements presented as fact must be false to be defamatory. Proving to be true is often the best defense against a prosecution for libel. Statements of opinion which cannot be proven true or false will likely need to apply some other kind of defense.

In some systems, however, truth alone is not a defense. It is also necessary in these cases to show that there is a well founded public interest in the specific information being widely known, and this may be the case even for public figures

Answer 3

It probably wouldn't be slander since it was true; character defamation possilby, but it could have to do with privacy legalities. I'm sorry to say this, but your right to privacy is routinely violated in the medical world and I don't know of anything that is "confidential." The cause of the insurance companies and the system is considered important, but not your privacy. If you go in to have your blood pressure checked for example, some self-righteous, huffy nurse will tell you that it must go onto your record (and this is so it can possibly be used against you, somehow).

Answer 4

It's hard to answer this question specifically without knowing where you live. Although the laws are generally the same across the 50 states there are some differences. I have listed a website below that I think may help you. Good luck to you.

Answer 5

Slander is an oral defamation. Defamation of character can be done through oral or written. So, you need to find which one was the real case. If it is written, it could be libel. But both of them is described as destruction or constructing someone's identity which is not tru or doesnt have any proof or evidence.

Answer 6

If the confidential information resulted in you being profoundly disadvantaged, like being fired from your job or being refused credit, or something similar, you may have the basis for a lawsuit. I am not an attorney, but maybe you should consult with one.

Answer 7

In the US, there is a law called the HIPPA, health information privacy and protection act, and by making that information available to ANYONE without your permission is a prosecutable deed. You might want to bypass a private atty and contact your local district attorney.

Answer 8

If there's a loss on your popularity (even although no financial loss), the place it reasons consequential stress via fact of those on the fringe of you thinking you via fabrications -- then sure, you nevertheless have a valid lawsuit.

Answer 9

its bad, what was the information regarding? that could determine what lines were crossed