Defamation damages

Defamation damages are the monetary compensation which is awarded by the court (or through a settlement) to the claimant in defamation litigation. Defamation damages are usually paid to compensate the claimant for an injured reputation.

The legal procedure of defamation is unique in law. It is normally a civil law matter (since criminal defamation is hardly ever used in the UK) which falls under the law of tort. However, unlike most of tort law, which had been reformed in the past century by cases such as Donoghue v Stevenson, defamation has its roots in ancient law. As a consequence of this background defamation claims can only be brought in the High Court and they are usually heard by a jury rather than only a judge. The procedure is therefore much more expensive than other tortious actions. As a result of the expensive nature of the claim, usually only high net worth individuals and companies can afford to bring the action.

Companies and wealthy individuals normally have extremely high-value reputations, which is why defamation damages, which are meant to mend reputations, are often extremely large.

This legal procedure is criticised for not allowing access to justice to the majority of the public. If you are pursuing defamation damages, and you are not extremely wealthy or acting for a company, it is nearly impossible for you to bring a claim. However, it is argued that this is a violation of the European Convention, and may change in the future.

If you would like to obtain legal advice on defamation damages, Contact Law can put you in touch with a local Defamation Solicitor free of charge. So, if you have any questions or would like our help in finding local Defamation Solicitors please call us on 0800 1777 162 or complete the web-form above.