Doctor accused of accepting kickbacks: Defamation

By Gadook

Anonymous Internet posting accuses doctor of accepting kickbacks: Defamation: Injury to reputation: Verdict: Punitive damages

Anonymous Internet posting accuses doctor of accepting kickbacks: Defamation: Injury to reputation: Verdict: Punitive damages.

Graham v. Oppenheimer, U.S. Dist. Ct., E.D. Va., No. 3:00CV57.

Graham, a doctor, was informed that an anonymous posting on an Internet message board claimed he had resigned his position as chair of a medical school department after he was caught accepting kickbacks from a company providing pathology services to the school. Subsequently, Graham discovered it was Oppenheimer, another doctor, who had posted the message. Graham suffered injury to his professional reputation.

Graham sued Oppenheimer and a pathology laboratory owned by him, alleging defamation.

A jury awarded plaintiff $675,000, including $350,000 punitive damages. The court denied defendants’ posttrial motions.

Reputation Management Defendants are planning to appeal.

Plaintiff’s Counsel

D. Alan Rudlin,

J. Burke McCormick, and

Kevin K Batteh, all of Richmond, Va.

Published by Gadook in Internet Defamation, Reputation Management