Defamation, Libel, and Slander

Words can be harmful, despite the old adage about sticks and stones. And when certain written or oral statements cause damage to your reputation, you may have a viable claim for defamation. The two main subcategories of defamation are "libel," which typically refers to statements that are written or published, and "slander," which is defamation arising from a spoken statement. In this section, we'll look at how defamation occurs, and how you can protect your legal rights if you've been a victim of libel or slander.