What Is Tortious Interference With A Business Relationship In Florida?

Tortious interference occurs when one party interferes with an advantageous business relationship of another party, causing economic harm. It is important to remember that this must be an intentional act, and proving it can be challenging. This is where you need a knowledgeable team of lawyers. The business and corporate law team at Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli & Pratt, P.A., is often sought to assist in resolving these difficult issues in Miami and throughout Florida.

It is prudent to negotiate with the interfering party to see if the dispute can be resolved to your satisfaction without the cost and time needed to go to court. At our Florida law firm, out experienced business law attorneys have honed our negotiation skills, style and strategy to the advantage of our business clients.

If a settlement is not reasonable, victims of tortious interference can sue the responsible party. Our Miami business law lawyers can help you pursue damages, which may include lost income or revenue as well as the value of lost goodwill, the intangible but important value of a good reputation, brand strength, customer loyalty and community support of a business.

How To Prove Interference In Your Business

While it can be difficult to prove interference, our attorneys have decades of experience fighting for individuals and businesses throughout Florida. A few requirements must be met to prove that someone has interfered with your business relationship:

• There was an established business relationship.
• The accused knew about the business relationship.
• The accused intentionally and without justification interfered with your commercial relationship with the other party, company, client or customer.
• The interference caused financial harm to your business.

Some common questions:

What can my business recover if I prove tortious interference?

• Every case is unique, but if your business was harmed by tortious interference, you may be able to sue for damages. Depending on the details of the case, it is possible to recover compensation for losses such as current, past and/or future profits. In some cases, a judge may award punitive damages. The other party may also be responsible for the fees and additional costs of litigation.

Another company’s aggressive marketing is making it harder for us to penetrate the market with our products. Is that tortious interference? 

• An advertising campaign is probably not tortious interference. In Florida, to show tortious interference with a business relationship, the defendant must have interfered with an actual, known customer or client, or at least with a solidly probable business prospect. The speculative possibility of developing a future business relationship with someone in the community at large is generally not enough.

Another business is trying to sell to our regular customers, but we don’t have contracts with those clients. Can we sue?

• Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible in Florida to sue for interference with a business relationship even if it is not based on a specific contract.

Don’t Wait; Call Our Florida Offices Today

If your Miami-area business has been harmed by the tortious interference of a competitor, our team can help you get the best possible results. Contact our Coral Gables-based attorneys today for a free consultation at (786) 788-8557 or fill out our contact form.