Can I sue a rival company?
by admin on Jan.09, 2010, under Other - Careers & Employment
jenny w asked:
I’m in a dilemma and would really appreciate any advice. I have recently started my own company, dealing with clients and dealerships in industrial equipment. The boss of a company Im NOT representing, whose products are rivals to those I AM representing, has been telling prospective clients of mine that I’m seriously ill, that I have to take 14 pills a day to get by and that they should think twice about dealing with me as I’m unlikely to be able to see the deal through. Im as fit as fiddle and I never take pills at all! Is there anything I can do about this? Im so angry about it! If anyone could offer advice I’d be really grateful. Thanks!
Arlene
I’m in a dilemma and would really appreciate any advice. I have recently started my own company, dealing with clients and dealerships in industrial equipment. The boss of a company Im NOT representing, whose products are rivals to those I AM representing, has been telling prospective clients of mine that I’m seriously ill, that I have to take 14 pills a day to get by and that they should think twice about dealing with me as I’m unlikely to be able to see the deal through. Im as fit as fiddle and I never take pills at all! Is there anything I can do about this? Im so angry about it! If anyone could offer advice I’d be really grateful. Thanks!
Arlene
January 12th, 2010 on 4:34 pm
Karl
Yes you can sue. This is slander.
January 14th, 2010 on 3:34 am
Irene
YES! Hire an attorney, get statements from people who have been told this and SUE!
January 15th, 2010 on 12:19 pm
Melvin
Yes, this is illegal. You should contact an attorney.
January 15th, 2010 on 8:24 pm
Eric
It’s slander at least, and there is a cause of action called “interference with a business relationship” that means their actions are cutting into your business. Yes, you can sue.
January 16th, 2010 on 6:29 am
Vicki
You can sue for slander. You will need a lawyer and from what I have heard slander suits are long and expensive.
January 19th, 2010 on 10:38 am
Carol
you can sue but to what end? How likely is it that these customers of yours will be happy with a subpoena to testify in a case that means little or nothing to them. You may or may not prevail but the cost in terms of customer relations will be high.
I would recommend that you insure you contact any of the firms he visits and in a humorous way tell them that you heard some folks were saying you are on deaths edge. Let them know how amusing this as you are as fit as a fiddle. If it is appropriate you may even do a handstand or something like that. basically by being upfront and treating the incidents with humor you will show your class and should be a more attractive business partner than someone or lies. Having been both a vendor and purchaser in these kind of deals I have found that honesty and straightforward talk get you a lot further than deception at any level.