What is the difference between libel and slander in terms of damages?

The main difference between libel and slander in terms of damages is the severity of the harm inflicted. Libel is a written or published false statement that harms someone’s reputation. Examples of libel may include a false statement written in a magazine article or on a website. Libel can cause serious damages to a person’s reputation, and the law allows victims to sue for actual monetary damages as well as punitive damages. Slander is a spoken false statement that harms someone’s reputation. For example, if someone makes a false statement about another person to someone else, this could be considered slander. In Virginia, the law allows victims to sue for actual damages that can be proven, such as lost wages due to a damaged reputation. However, this type of harm is much more difficult to prove and, for this reason, punitive damages are not available for slander claims. In summary, libel is written or published false statements that can cause serious harm to a person’s reputation, while slander is spoken false statements that can cause harm but are much more difficult to prove. While victims of libel can sue for both actual and punitive damages in Virginia, victims of slander can only sue for actual damages.

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What is the difference between libel and slander in terms of damages?

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