Moila and Brian Jenkins, the two managers of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, who were awarded $90,000 in damages after a customer defamed them in Google and Yelp reviews. jpg

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A disgruntled customer who was found to have defamed a BC wood products company in his Google and Yelp reviews has been ordered by a judge to pay $90,000 in damages.

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Tyler Ginther published the online reviews of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, claiming the company was deceptive and fraudulent. Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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In November 2015, Ginther had met with a sales representative from the company who was making cold calls in the White Rock area. Ginther, who had built several homes over the years, was building one, and the two men discussed his plans and the products of the Parksville company, which specializes in custom cedar, fir and hemlock building supplies. Ginther claimed in subsequent online reviews that the company cheated, cheated or misled him by charging him for cedar siding they knew he hadn’t ordered. At trial he maintained that what he had said was true. But in a ruling on the case, BC Supreme Court Justice Nitya Iyer found that Ginther was not a credible witness and had not proven the allegations.

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“I conclude that the defendant defamed the plaintiffs in the Google and Yelp reviews,” the judge said. Longhouse, a family business, claimed that Ginther had damaged their reputation and caused them financial loss and that he had acted with malice. They sought general, aggravated and punitive damages totaling $675,000, as well as special costs. But the judge said the general damages amount sought, $125,000 each for Brian and Moila Jenkins, the company’s two named principals, was excessive because there was no evidence that anyone who knew them and read the reviews believed Ginther’s accusations . “The ubiquity of online reviews is now a fact of business life. While negative reviews may discourage potential customers, a range of reviews is common and a reasonable reader will exercise judgment in evaluating them.”

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The judge awarded the Jenkins a total of $60,000 in general damages and another $20,000 in general damages for the company itself. “I find that Mr. Ginther acted with malice in posting the Yelp review,” the judge said. “As noted, he admitted that his intent was to harm the plaintiffs’ business.” The judge awarded the Jenkins $5,000 each for aggravated damages, but declined to award punitive damages or special costs. Bernard Lau, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an email that his clients were “very pleased” with the outcome and are grateful for the courts to vindicate their names and reputations. “They can finally breathe a sigh of relief and put this matter behind them,” Lau said in the statement. “It was a very difficult time for them when the posts came out, particularly as they came from a close-knit community in Parksville and the false allegations about them and their integrity put them under a lot of unnecessary stress and affected their professional and personal lives a lot.”

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Lau said he hopes the case serves as a reminder that posting comments online, even under a “harmless” Google review, has real-world consequences and possibly even significant financial implications. In an email, Ginther said he “obviously” disagreed with the judge’s finding that he was not a credible witness and added that an appeal of the ruling was being considered. He declined to say what the grounds for any appeal might be. Ginther said the reason the case became a “battle” was that he was delivered an “inferior” product that was delayed and was overcharged on his visa for a second product he believed he never ordered. These are similar to the claims he made in the reviews that were dismissed by the judge.

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Greg Allen, a Vancouver defamation lawyer, said if you want to review a business on Google or Yelp, you should be careful to keep your language measured and careful. “The issue in this case is that the defendant took the position at trial that everything he said was true, but the judge just didn’t believe him,” he said. “So in that circumstance where you make claims that are inflammatory in some way, you run the risk of the business owner going after you for defamation, and your primary defense in that circumstance is that what you said is true.” Allen said the $90,000 in damages is not one of the largest awards for defamation in general, but in the details of the case it appears to be on the higher end of the range. [email protected] More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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title: “Customer Who Defamed Bc Company On Google Yelp Ordered To Pay 90 000 Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-24” author: “Shane Endicott”

Moila and Brian Jenkins, the two managers of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, who were awarded $90,000 in damages after a customer defamed them in Google and Yelp reviews. jpg

Content of the article

A disgruntled customer who was found to have defamed a BC wood products company in his Google and Yelp reviews has been ordered by a judge to pay $90,000 in damages.

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Content of the article

Tyler Ginther published the online reviews of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, claiming the company was deceptive and fraudulent. Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The next issue of Vancouver Sun Headline News will be in your inbox soon. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again

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In November 2015, Ginther had met with a sales representative from the company who was making cold calls in the White Rock area. Ginther, who had built several homes over the years, was building one, and the two men discussed his plans and the products of the Parksville company, which specializes in custom cedar, fir and hemlock building supplies. Ginther claimed in subsequent online reviews that the company cheated, cheated or misled him by charging him for cedar siding they knew he hadn’t ordered. At trial he maintained that what he had said was true. But in a ruling on the case, BC Supreme Court Justice Nitya Iyer found that Ginther was not a credible witness and had not proven the allegations.

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“I conclude that the defendant defamed the plaintiffs in the Google and Yelp reviews,” the judge said. Longhouse, a family business, claimed that Ginther had damaged their reputation and caused them financial loss and that he had acted with malice. They sought general, aggravated and punitive damages totaling $675,000, as well as special costs. But the judge said the general damages amount sought, $125,000 each for Brian and Moila Jenkins, the company’s two named principals, was excessive because there was no evidence that anyone who knew them and read the reviews believed Ginther’s accusations . “The ubiquity of online reviews is now a fact of business life. While negative reviews may discourage potential customers, a range of reviews is common and a reasonable reader will exercise judgment in evaluating them.”

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The judge awarded the Jenkins a total of $60,000 in general damages and another $20,000 in general damages for the company itself. “I find that Mr. Ginther acted with malice in posting the Yelp review,” the judge said. “As noted, he admitted that his intent was to harm the plaintiffs’ business.” The judge awarded the Jenkins $5,000 each for aggravated damages, but declined to award punitive damages or special costs. Bernard Lau, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an email that his clients were “very pleased” with the outcome and are grateful for the courts to vindicate their names and reputations. “They can finally breathe a sigh of relief and put this matter behind them,” Lau said in the statement. “It was a very difficult time for them when the posts came out, particularly as they came from a close-knit community in Parksville and the false allegations about them and their integrity put them under a lot of unnecessary stress and affected their professional and personal lives a lot.”

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Lau said he hopes the case serves as a reminder that posting comments online, even under a “harmless” Google review, has real-world consequences and possibly even significant financial implications. In an email, Ginther said he “obviously” disagreed with the judge’s finding that he was not a credible witness and added that an appeal of the ruling was being considered. He declined to say what the grounds for any appeal might be. Ginther said the reason the case became a “battle” was that he was delivered an “inferior” product that was delayed and was overcharged on his visa for a second product he believed he never ordered. These are similar to the claims he made in the reviews that were dismissed by the judge.

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Greg Allen, a Vancouver defamation lawyer, said if you want to review a business on Google or Yelp, you should be careful to keep your language measured and careful. “The issue in this case is that the defendant took the position at trial that everything he said was true, but the judge just didn’t believe him,” he said. “So in that circumstance where you make claims that are inflammatory in some way, you run the risk of the business owner going after you for defamation, and your primary defense in that circumstance is that what you said is true.” Allen said the $90,000 in damages is not one of the largest awards for defamation in general, but in the details of the case it appears to be on the higher end of the range. [email protected] More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site.  We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful.  We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email if you get a reply to your comment, there’s an update on a comment thread you’re following, or if a user follows the comments.  Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

title: “Customer Who Defamed Bc Company On Google Yelp Ordered To Pay 90 000 Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-23” author: “Mercedes Harris”

Moila and Brian Jenkins, the two managers of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, who were awarded $90,000 in damages after a customer defamed them in Google and Yelp reviews. jpg

Content of the article

A disgruntled customer who was found to have defamed a BC wood products company in his Google and Yelp reviews has been ordered by a judge to pay $90,000 in damages.

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Content of the article

Tyler Ginther published the online reviews of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, claiming the company was deceptive and fraudulent. Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The next issue of Vancouver Sun Headline News will be in your inbox soon. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again

Content of the article

In November 2015, Ginther had met with a sales representative from the company who was making cold calls in the White Rock area. Ginther, who had built several homes over the years, was building one, and the two men discussed his plans and the products of the Parksville company, which specializes in custom cedar, fir and hemlock building supplies. Ginther claimed in subsequent online reviews that the company cheated, cheated or misled him by charging him for cedar siding they knew he hadn’t ordered. At trial he maintained that what he had said was true. But in a ruling on the case, BC Supreme Court Justice Nitya Iyer found that Ginther was not a credible witness and had not proven the allegations.

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Content of the article

“I conclude that the defendant defamed the plaintiffs in the Google and Yelp reviews,” the judge said. Longhouse, a family business, claimed that Ginther had damaged their reputation and caused them financial loss and that he had acted with malice. They sought general, aggravated and punitive damages totaling $675,000, as well as special costs. But the judge said the general damages amount sought, $125,000 each for Brian and Moila Jenkins, the company’s two named principals, was excessive because there was no evidence that anyone who knew them and read the reviews believed Ginther’s accusations . “The ubiquity of online reviews is now a fact of business life. While negative reviews may discourage potential customers, a range of reviews is common and a reasonable reader will exercise judgment in evaluating them.”

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The judge awarded the Jenkins a total of $60,000 in general damages and another $20,000 in general damages for the company itself. “I find that Mr. Ginther acted with malice in posting the Yelp review,” the judge said. “As noted, he admitted that his intent was to harm the plaintiffs’ business.” The judge awarded the Jenkins $5,000 each for aggravated damages, but declined to award punitive damages or special costs. Bernard Lau, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an email that his clients were “very pleased” with the outcome and are grateful for the courts to vindicate their names and reputations. “They can finally breathe a sigh of relief and put this matter behind them,” Lau said in the statement. “It was a very difficult time for them when the posts came out, particularly as they came from a close-knit community in Parksville and the false allegations about them and their integrity put them under a lot of unnecessary stress and affected their professional and personal lives a lot.”

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Lau said he hopes the case serves as a reminder that posting comments online, even under a “harmless” Google review, has real-world consequences and possibly even significant financial implications. In an email, Ginther said he “obviously” disagreed with the judge’s finding that he was not a credible witness and added that an appeal of the ruling was being considered. He declined to say what the grounds for any appeal might be. Ginther said the reason the case became a “battle” was that he was delivered an “inferior” product that was delayed and was overcharged on his visa for a second product he believed he never ordered. These are similar to the claims he made in the reviews that were dismissed by the judge.

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Content of the article

Greg Allen, a Vancouver defamation lawyer, said if you want to review a business on Google or Yelp, you should be careful to keep your language measured and careful. “The issue in this case is that the defendant took the position at trial that everything he said was true, but the judge just didn’t believe him,” he said. “So in that circumstance where you make claims that are inflammatory in some way, you run the risk of the business owner going after you for defamation, and your primary defense in that circumstance is that what you said is true.” Allen said the $90,000 in damages is not one of the largest awards for defamation in general, but in the details of the case it appears to be on the higher end of the range. [email protected] More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site.  We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful.  We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email if you get a reply to your comment, there’s an update on a comment thread you’re following, or if a user follows the comments.  Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

title: “Customer Who Defamed Bc Company On Google Yelp Ordered To Pay 90 000 Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-06” author: “Jorge Wallace”

Moila and Brian Jenkins, the two managers of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, who were awarded $90,000 in damages after a customer defamed them in Google and Yelp reviews. jpg

Content of the article

A disgruntled customer who was found to have defamed a BC wood products company in his Google and Yelp reviews has been ordered by a judge to pay $90,000 in damages.

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

Tyler Ginther published the online reviews of Longhouse Specialty Forest Products, claiming the company was deceptive and fraudulent. Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Thanks for subscribing!

A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The next issue of Vancouver Sun Headline News will be in your inbox soon. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again

Content of the article

In November 2015, Ginther had met with a sales representative from the company who was making cold calls in the White Rock area. Ginther, who had built several homes over the years, was building one, and the two men discussed his plans and the products of the Parksville company, which specializes in custom cedar, fir and hemlock building supplies. Ginther claimed in subsequent online reviews that the company cheated, cheated or misled him by charging him for cedar siding they knew he hadn’t ordered. At trial he maintained that what he had said was true. But in a ruling on the case, BC Supreme Court Justice Nitya Iyer found that Ginther was not a credible witness and had not proven the allegations.

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Content of the article

“I conclude that the defendant defamed the plaintiffs in the Google and Yelp reviews,” the judge said. Longhouse, a family business, claimed that Ginther had damaged their reputation and caused them financial loss and that he had acted with malice. They sought general, aggravated and punitive damages totaling $675,000, as well as special costs. But the judge said the general damages amount sought, $125,000 each for Brian and Moila Jenkins, the company’s two named principals, was excessive because there was no evidence that anyone who knew them and read the reviews believed Ginther’s accusations . “The ubiquity of online reviews is now a fact of business life. While negative reviews may discourage potential customers, a range of reviews is common and a reasonable reader will exercise judgment in evaluating them.”

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Content of the article

The judge awarded the Jenkins a total of $60,000 in general damages and another $20,000 in general damages for the company itself. “I find that Mr. Ginther acted with malice in posting the Yelp review,” the judge said. “As noted, he admitted that his intent was to harm the plaintiffs’ business.” The judge awarded the Jenkins $5,000 each for aggravated damages, but declined to award punitive damages or special costs. Bernard Lau, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an email that his clients were “very pleased” with the outcome and are grateful for the courts to vindicate their names and reputations. “They can finally breathe a sigh of relief and put this matter behind them,” Lau said in the statement. “It was a very difficult time for them when the posts came out, particularly as they came from a close-knit community in Parksville and the false allegations about them and their integrity put them under a lot of unnecessary stress and affected their professional and personal lives a lot.”

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Content of the article

Lau said he hopes the case serves as a reminder that posting comments online, even under a “harmless” Google review, has real-world consequences and possibly even significant financial implications. In an email, Ginther said he “obviously” disagreed with the judge’s finding that he was not a credible witness and added that an appeal of the ruling was being considered. He declined to say what the grounds for any appeal might be. Ginther said the reason the case became a “battle” was that he was delivered an “inferior” product that was delayed and was overcharged on his visa for a second product he believed he never ordered. These are similar to the claims he made in the reviews that were dismissed by the judge.

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Content of the article

Greg Allen, a Vancouver defamation lawyer, said if you want to review a business on Google or Yelp, you should be careful to keep your language measured and careful. “The issue in this case is that the defendant took the position at trial that everything he said was true, but the judge just didn’t believe him,” he said. “So in that circumstance where you make claims that are inflammatory in some way, you run the risk of the business owner going after you for defamation, and your primary defense in that circumstance is that what you said is true.” Allen said the $90,000 in damages is not one of the largest awards for defamation in general, but in the details of the case it appears to be on the higher end of the range. [email protected] More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site.  We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful.  We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email if you get a reply to your comment, there’s an update on a comment thread you’re following, or if a user follows the comments.  Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.