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Opera Tower

What’s the easiest way you can think of the get sued for 25 Million dollars? If you happen to live in Miami, Florida the correct answer is to irritate a Real Estate developer.

Sound absurd? Let me paint the picture.

Lucas Lechuga is a Real Estate Agent who formerly worked for the firm EWM. I say formerly because his firm let him go as soon as the law suit became public (they are also being sued over this same matter). On top of being a Real Estate Agent, Mr. Lechuga is a blogger.


Zoot Suit Riot

In a posting, he spoke poorly of the Opera Tower, a condo owned by a developer, one Tibor Hollo.

Tibor believes that Lucas’ post constitutes libel. Lucas stated that the development company responsible for the Opera went Bankrupt during the 1980s and that future buyers should be weary of dealing with them.

Tibor says the company never went Bankrupt (though he admits that they did have financial problems) and says that Lucas’ post has been seriously detrimental to his business. So detrimental, in fact, that he decided to sue to the tune of $25 Million.

I would go into why the amount of this suit is nothing short of obscene, but without the case law to back it up that argument falls flat. What I will say is that it seems ludicrous that Lucas, on his personal blog, should be held responsible for stating a measured opinion about another company.

If a blogger gives a product a poor review, should he or she be held responsible for it? If a magazine reviewer makes an unfavorable claim, should they find a law suit in their mailbox? Even if there was a fact error (and depending how one interprets “Bankrupt” that is questionable) wouldn’t the more prudent course be to ask Lucas to make a correction?


Web 2.0 Roundup

It looks like Lucas found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Had he been an independent contractor, without a large company available to take the brunt of his suit, in all likelihood his comments would have been ignored. Unfortunately, sometimes the only thing that is required for a law suit is someone capable of paying.

I’ll leave you with this question. Do you think a blogger should be held responsible for their opinions on a company, and if so how deep should that responsibility run.

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