What damages must be proven in a business disparagement lawsuit involving a lien?

Question

Accepted Answer

This question has been addressed in 1 Texas court opinion(s), including EarnhartBuilt, LLC v. Preferred Materials, LLC, Procore Technologies, Inc., Express Lien, Inc. d/b/a Levelset, Michael Mann, and J. Earnhart, Inc.. A lien is not "fraudulent" simply because it is legally unenforceable or filed late. To recover statutory damages for a fraudulent lien, a party must prove the filer actually knew the lien was fraudulent—meaning a misrepresentation of the truth—at the moment of filing. If there is a bona fide underlying debt, technical or procedural failures will generally not trigger the severe penalties of the fraudulent lien statute.

Business Disparagement

What damages must be proven in a business disparagement lawsuit involving a lien?