When Can Business Litigation Address Tortious Interference?

 Posted on October 12, 2021 in Business Law

There are multiple reasons why a company may pursue business litigation against another company or person. In many cases, litigation will seek to address losses or other damages caused to a business by another party’s actions. Tortious interference is one issue that may arise during business litigation, and it addresses cases where another party interfered with a business’s relationships and caused the business to suffer losses. An attorney with an understanding of business law can ensure that a company will be able to address this issue properly when pursuing litigation or resolving business disputes.

What Is Tortious Interference?

Businesses may engage in a variety of activities as they work to build relationships with customers, engage in contractual agreements, and build positive reputation and goodwill in the marketplace. While some activities may be considered standard forms of competition, others may be seen as intentional attempts to cause harm to someone else. 

A business may pursue litigation against another party based on tortious interference if that party has wrongfully interfered with the business’s contractual relationships, leading to a breach of contract. Tortious interference may also involve interference with other types of advantageous business relationships in a way that causes harm to a business.

Generally, claims of tortious interference will need to prove the following elements:

1. The plaintiff had a business relationship involving a contract or a prospective economic advantage.

2. The defendant was aware of the business relationship. 

3. The defendant intentionally and wrongfully interfered with the business relationship, including inducing a party to breach the contract or otherwise causing the relationship to be disrupted or terminated.

4. The plaintiff suffered losses as a result of the defendant’s interference.

Tortious interference can take multiple forms, but it usually involves activities that are outside of standard competitive practices. For example, a business’s competitor may make false claims about the business’s products or services, and this may lead the customers to stop doing business with the company. This would be an example of tortious interference with advantageous business relationships, since the wrongful act (making statements that were known to be false) affected the business’s expected economic advantages.

Business litigation may also address tortious interference with contractual agreements. For example, if a company has a contract with a vendor, another company may offer to pay the vendor to breach that contract with the intent of causing financial harm to the first company. The company that suffered losses may seek to recover the damages they experienced because of the breach of contract. 

Contact Our Ft. Lauderdale Business Litigation Attorneys for Tortious Interference

If your company has suffered losses because a competitor or another party has acted wrongfully, The Elliot Legal Group, P.A. can help you determine whether you can pursue litigation based on a claim of tortious interference. We will provide you with strong representation and advocate for your interests, helping you recover damages for the losses you have experienced. Contact our Dania Beach business litigation lawyers today at 754-332-2101 to get the legal help you need.

Sources:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/intentional_interference_with_contractual_relations

https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/content/download/373685/file/06-1157_JurisAns.pdf