To state a claim for defamation in Florida, a plaintiff must allege that (1) the defendant published or said a false statement; (2) about the plaintiff; (3) to a third party; and (4) the falsity of this statement caused injury to the plaintiff. The resulting injury can be to one's reputation or financial harm.
Stat. § 768.73(1)(a) (2025).) Because defamation per se causes obvious reputational harm, in some cases Florida law might award you "presumed" damages. Presumed damages typically are nominal—$1 or $100, for instance—and can be awarded even if you can't prove any economic or noneconomic losses.
If you decide to do it alone, your letter should state the specific defamatory statements made, confirm that they are defamatory, indicate the reputational harm caused, demand an apology and retraction of those statements, and demand that they cease making further statements failing which you will sue them.
I am writing because you recently made defamatory statements about me my company my company and me. I ask that you immediately retract these statements. On date, you summarize what recipient did that is defamatory.
To state a claim for defamation in Florida, a plaintiff must allege that (1) the defendant published or said a false statement; (2) about the plaintiff; (3) to a third party; and (4) the falsity of this statement caused injury to the plaintiff. The resulting injury can be to one's reputation or financial harm.
Stat. § 768.73(1)(a) (2023).) As defamation per se inherently causes evident reputational harm, Florida law may award “presumed” damages in certain cases. These presumed damages are typically nominal, such as $1 or $100, and can be granted even if you can't prove specific economic or noneconomic losses.
In order to pursue an injury claim in Florida, you must first make a formal request for payment from the person responsible for the costs of your injury. This request is known as the demand letter and may be addressed to an individual who caused the accident, an insurance company, or both.
To prove defamation, a plaintiff generally must show: • A false statement purporting to be fact; • Publication or communication of that statement to a third person; • Fault amounting to at least negligence; and • Damages – that is, some harm caused to the plaintiff's reputation.
Truth, or substantial truth, is a complete defense to a claim of defamation.