Rob bet Joe $300 that the Chicago Bears would beat the San Francisco 49ers. The day after the Bears lost, Joe went to Rob's office. He created quite a scene. He got the $300 and yelled nasty remarks about the Bears team and coach. Rob was furious. He lied to the onlookers by saying that Joe passed himself off as an accountant but that he never passed the required exams and had forged the documents. Joe lost several clients because of Rob's false statements. On these facts, which of the following is true?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rob's statements about Joe were false and caused harm to Joe's reputation, leading to the loss of his clients. This constitutes defamation, and Joe could successfully sue Rob for it. Option A is incorrect because qualified privilege does not apply when false statements are made with malice. Option B is incorrect because the statements made by Joe about the Bears team and coach do not constitute defamation against Rob. Option C is irrelevant to the given facts. Option D is incorrect because defamation by innuendo requires the use of suggestive and subtle language, which does not apply here.

Rob Bet Joe $300 That the Chicago Bears Would Beat