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ARTICLE · 22 NOVEMBER 2022

Damages In A Defamation Action

Gardiner Roberts LLP
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Reputational harm is serious. It can have devastating impacts on the person whose reputation has been diminished. In the law of defamation, courts grant monetary awards to plaintiffs...

CanadaLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Stephen Thiele
Stephen Thiele
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Reputational harm is serious. It can have devastating impacts on the person whose reputation has been diminished. In the law of defamation, courts grant monetary awards to plaintiffs who suffered reputation harm for the purpose of permitting the plaintiff to restore their reputation. The kinds of damages awarded are general damages, aggravated damages and punitive damages. Special damages, such as loss of profit or loss of income, might also be available if such losses were caused by the defamation. Although the amount of damages that a court will award varies on a case-by-case basis, courts seek to ensure consistency in the amounts of damages awarded by considering awards granted in other cases.

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