Unsolicited comments about an employee to other employers could give rise to defamation claims.
On January 30, 2023, in Abdul-Haqq v. LaLiberte, the Minnesota court of appeals held that “Minnesota law does not recognize a qualified privilege for defamatory statements made while dispensing unsolicited career advice.” There, LaLiberte contracted with Liam Hawkins as a sales representative for a storm-damage repair company. Several years later, Hawkins contracted with a company associated with Abdul-Haqq. LaLiberte subsequently sent several texts messages to Hawkins that disparaged Abdul-Haqq so that Hawkins could make an informed decision about working for Abdul-Haqq. Abdul-Haqq then sued LaLiberte, alleging the statements in LaLiberte’s text messages were defamatory. A jury awarded $300,000 in damages... Read More
Insurance Disputes
Farrish Johnson’s litigation attorneys are seasoned insurance coverage litigators. Most recently, they have handled and resolved cases concerning payment of medical expenses, resolved disputes over coverage for liability claims, and addressed questions concerning the scope of a policy’s coverage limits. Insurance companies may use legalese, jargon, or other confusing language in their policies to justify denials of claims or requests for defense and indemnity. At Farrish Johnson, our attorneys help clients work through these issues and if necessary will take an insurance company to court to resolve a dispute. Depending on the nature of the claim, these cases may be... Read More