Could I get sued for slander?

Question

I'm going to create a website about patient discrimination and blacklisting. It's going to alert and create awareness of what patient blacklisting is and how it's done. There will be a section where patients can list the doctors names and the state they practice in and who they believe has discriminated/blacklisted them. There will be a section underneath the doctors name where patients can add their personal experiences with the doctor they're complaining about. There will also be a section where patients can list great doctor's they've found and their positive experiences. Can I get sued for slander if these patients list negative information about doctors on my future website? I will not allow the address of the doctors, good or bad, but only the doctors names and states they practice in.

Answer 1

Since it's written, it's libel (not slander).



You can include a disclaimer (you should definitely get a lawyer to write this for you), which should help. However, if a doctor sees this site, he/she can certainly file suit.



Since you are not the one making the statement, however, you cannot be held responsible simply because a requirement for defamation is that you know that the information provided is not true.



So, while you'd likely win, you're going to be paying legal bills if someone takes you to court. Decide if you want to take that chance or if you'll remove information from the site if you receive complaints.

Answer 2

I'd be very careful if I were you. This is a very tricky area.



I personally would go down the route of making a site that shows good practice and recommendations of good doctor's.



You can still have a section for making people aware of discrimination and blacklisting.



I know you'd like to highlight the bad ones out there but freedom of speech/written word just isn't a reality.



I love the idea but I don't want anyone getting in trouble. I guess this is why no-one has done it before.



Good luck on the site.

Answer 3

You couldn't get sued for slander but you could be sued for libel. Slander refers to something spoken.



In the long run you could probably get away with this. Freedom of speech and all that. The question is whether you want to spend the money necessary to defend yourself by hosting anonymous strangers and allowing them to defame physicians. Although doctors complain about malpractice lawsuits, they are notoriously quick to file lawsuits themselves. Is this the crusade you want to go bankrupt over?



Leaving out the doctors' address is a curious but irrelevant detail that will do nothing to protect you either way.

Answer 4

U r interior the criminal field as a manner to talk, i'm bowled over u don't be conscious of the answer to ur question already. definite u can sue for slander while somebody is maliciously announcing something untrue approximately u that could desire to be damaging to ur wellness, ur man or woman, or might desire to value u ur interest. U desire witnesses and u could have heard it ur self or have something sent to u in writing, hearsay in simple terms won't do. until the guy who became into informed became into ur supervisor and he/she is investigating the cost of racism. As a baby abuse case worker u witnessed suggested infraction against the baby why did not u take action in the present day? Then u have been interior ur rights to guard that baby. each time after the certainty might look as though u r being stimulated via different underlying reasons for this reason the cost of racism from the abusive parent. U for sure ignored the prospect to make a case against that parent extraordinarily while u, the professionally experienced keeping abuse worker observed with ur own eyes what that parent had finished to their baby. i don't unavoidably think of u r racist yet I do think of that u r being vindictive and prejudicial in accusing the parent after the certainty with slander. verify ur self and ur reasons, ask ur self am I being honest and easily to this man or woman and am I watching this occasion objectively as i became into experienced to do and be. Ur answer could be sparkling to u greater suitable than everyone else. God bless and that i desire u settle in this in ur heart first then with although degree u deem had to do.

Answer 5

Under no circumstances would this be slander...slander is only applicable to spoken words...not things written down...



As far as possible libel suits, you should make it clear on the site that the reviews are not your opinion and make sure that every member agrees to be responsible for their posts and to indemnify the website for any liability incurred...



I strongly recommend that you have an attorney draft the terms of use since adhesion contracts like this are tricky.