NH--i am a high school baseball coach. A parent went on facebook and called me a pedophile. They were upset about their kids playing time. The slanderer has homeowners insurance with an endorsement of coverage for defamation up to $500k. Will this go to mediation? Whats a good settlement amount? Thanks.
First, are you a pedophile? True statements and substantially true statements are not defamatory. Defamation is the communication of false statements of fact.
If the parent has/had no basis for making the statement about you, a court in New Hampshire could judge that the statement made by the parent is defamatory per se (defamatory on its face) and monetary damages can be awarded on presumed reputational injury alone.
The amount of damages you are claiming do not have to be supported by evidence and figured to the dollar. You will want to show how you have been harmed by what was said but actual dollar damage can be approximations.
But the specific statement made about you and the context matters - and this is one area where your attorney has a major advantage over members of this forum. Your attorney has access to all of the facts. We would be doing you a disservice to provide you with advice when you have an attorney in your own jurisdiction hired to represent you in your lawsuit.
Following is a link to a New Hampshire Supreme Court case for you to review (Reginald P.Danboise, DMD & a. v. James T. Espinoza), for educational purposes only. Again as has already been advised, you should rely on your own attorney for information and direction.
https://www.courts.state.nh.us/supreme/3jx/2010/20090159.pdf
