Legal Question in Personal Injury in Illinois

Re: Libel

There may be something you can do. First, the fact that they retracted and corrected the statement does not get them off the hook for libel. If what you say is true, then you may have a case. The tricky thing about libel cases is that you have to show that you have actual financial damages. In other words, if you were denied a job due to the false statements made in the article then you have actual damages. The trick in a case like this is to show that (1) you were denied a job and (2) that the denial was at least in part due to false statements. Employment is not the only context you may show actual damages, but it is certainly the most common. If you would like to discuss this further, please give my office a call. Best of luck to you.

Re: Libel

Upon further research, I believe that you may have a case even without showing actual financial damages. Because the story was actually printed, thus constituting libel and not slander, the fact that these statements are false and tend to damage your reputation are enough to establish a case. The potential amount of any judgment, however, will depend on what kind of damages you can show. I suggest you contact an my office or another attorney to discuss the facts of your case in greater detail.