implies defamatory facts defamation does damage to the targeted party the defendant's statement harmed his reputation defamation lawsuit defamation lawsuit claim of libel legal distinctions between libel and slander defamation action Elements of Libel and Slander does damage to the targeted party slander libel laws defamation lawsuit defamation written form of defamation libel notoriously high standards libel prohibit the written publication of defamatory statements defamatory statements are published using the written word libel viable defamation claim