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Truth and Privilege Defenses to Defamation

Defamation lawsuits are not easy to win because the plaintiff must both prove the difficult elements of his or her case and avoid the many defenses to defamation. This article discusses some of the standard defenses to defamation, including truth and privilege.

Custom as Proof of Negligence

In some circumstances, custom may be used as proof of negligence in a personal injury action. For example, a worker in a sawmill is injured when he or she accidentally puts his or her hand onto the blade of an electric saw.

Real Estate

Every property owner is entitled to use his land in a reasonable way. His use, however, may exceed the bounds of reason and become an inconvenience or even a nuisance to others. A nuisance is more than a mere inconvenience that has to be tolerated. If a nuisance rises to a certain level, it may be actionable. Some examples of nuisances include odors and noise.

Tort Action for Violation of a Fiduciary Duty

A person who has a fiduciary relationship with another person commits a tort when he or she breaches his or her fiduciary duty with regard to the other person. The other person is entitled to damages from the fiduciary if he or she sustains damages as a result of the fiduciary's breach of his or her duty.

Federal Tort Claims Act -- Federal Government Employees

The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) applies to claims for personal injury caused by the negligence of a federal government employee who is acting within the scope of his or her employment, under circumstances where a private person would be liable under state law. Therefore, the FTCA applies only to personal injury actions that arise from the negligence of a federal government employee.