Opinion ID: 1248766
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Loss of reputation

Text: Appellant argues that respondent should not have been permitted to submit her loss of reputation claim to the jury because her defamation claim had already been dismissed, making it improper to submit the same claim to the jury for an award of damages disguised as a different cause of action. Alternatively, appellant argues that it should have been allowed to present evidence of respondent's reputation prior to the MGDPA violations. The court of appeals held that the evidence was insufficient to allow respondent's loss of reputation claim to go to the jury and that appellant should have been allowed to present evidence of respondent's reputation prior to the MGDPA violations. Navarre, 633 N.W.2d at 55. In doing so, the court implicitly recognized that respondent could ask for loss of reputation damages under the MGDPA even though her defamation action had been dismissed. We have never considered whether loss of reputation damages are recoverable under the MGDPA. The MGDPA does allow recovery for any damages sustained and the fact that defamation actions also permit a plaintiff to recover for loss of reputation does not preclude such a claim under the MGDPA so long as there is not a double recovery. See Kohn v. City of Minneapolis Fire Dep't, 583 N.W.2d 7, 15 (Minn.App.), review denied (Minn. Oct. 20, 1998) (reversing damages award but allowing loss of reputation claim in MHRA action). While respondent could seek loss of reputation damages, the record contains very little evidence to support such a claim. Respondent testified over hearsay objections that she heard from over 50 people who indicated they were aware of the media coverage. She did not testify as to what these people told her and none of these people were called to testify. Respondent's father testified that virtually everyone respondent knew mentioned the Pioneer Press article and that he told respondent her attractiveness as a teacher had been destroyed by the media coverage. These conclusory and unsubstantiated statements by respondent and her father are speculative at best and insufficient to support a claim for loss of reputation. See Kohn, 583 N.W.2d at 15. Therefore, while respondent could have recovered loss of reputation damages even though her defamation action had been dismissed, the evidence presented was wholly insufficient and speculative. We affirm the court of appeals and hold that the district court abused its discretion in submitting respondent's loss of reputation claim to the jury.