Q: Can I sue for personal injury resulting from slander/defamation?
My father, spouse, and I went into the building division in our city acquiring about a building permit. We were inquiring about an electrical permit. The building inspector gave us his card for our landlord to get in touch with him to let him know what needs to be done. After explaining it to us. Then our landlord told us that he told him in that phone call that 3 "yahoo's", meaning the 3 of us came into his office asking about the permit. Now we are suffering from our definition of character being jeopardized and mental and physical hardships as the result of the slander. Now we are having problems sleeping and going about our days due to being called "yahoos" which is a defiantly an insult. My husband just got his insurance license and this is very damaging to his reputation as an insurance agent. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
A:
As a general matter, a person could sue for virtually any reasonably alleged form of damages, but one must consider how much such a case would cost to prosecute, what would be its prospects for a successful outcome, and how would damages be determined. If you are contemplating legal action, it would be advisable to consult with a California attorney and discuss the viability, cost effectiveness, and scope of damages in such a lawsuit.
Tim Akpinar
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