Month: October 2015

In Nevada, the elements for a claim of defamation are:

1. False and defamatory statement by defendant concerning the plaintiff;
2. Unprivileged publication of the statement to third party;
3. Some level of fault amounting at least to negligence; and
4. Actual or presumed damages. Damages which will be presumed if defamation tends to injure plaintiff in his business (defamation per se).

“Defamation” is defined as “a publication of a false statement of fact.”  Pegasus v. Reno Newspapers, Inc., 118 Nev. 706, 714, 57 P.3d 82, 87 (2002).  To succeed on a defamation claim, a plaintiff must prove the following elements: (a) a false and defamatory statement concerning another; (b) an unprivileged publication to a third party; (c) fault amounting at least to negligence on the part of the publisher; and (d) either actionability of the statement irrespective of special harm, or the existence of special harm caused by the publication.  Lubin v. Kunin, 117 Nev. 107, 111, 17 P.3d 422, 425 (2001) (quoting PETA v. Boby Berosini, Ltd., 111 Nev. 615, 619, 895 P.2d 1269, 1272 (1995) (quoting the Restatement (Second) of Torts: Elements Stated § 558 (1965)) modified on other grounds by Las Vegas Dountown Redev. Agency v. Hecht, 113 Nev. 644, 650, 940 P.2d 134, 138 (1997)).

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