French court orders man to pay €6,000 over defamatory online review
A man posted a negative Google review after a doctor misdiagnosed his wife, but was later ordered to pay damages and legal costs for defamation over calling the doctor a “charlatan”
The case concerns a Google review posted about a doctor
2025 SuPatMaN/Shutterstock.
Dissatisfied with the medical care his wife received, a man left a frustrated Google review about the doctor involved, only to later be taken to court for defamation.
The case dates back to actions from September 2024, when the doctor diagnosed the man’s wife with a meniscus contusion. However, an MRI scan later revealed that she was actually suffering from a severe knee sprain and a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
According to consumer association UFC-Que Choisir, the review described an initial diagnosis of a meniscus contusion, which allegedly required only rest. A week later, following an emergency MRI, the patient was diagnosed with a severe knee sprain, a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, and damage to the meniscus.
The husband concluded his review with the following sentence: “Considering that this ‘doctor’ was talking about osteopaths being charlatans, I wonder in these cases which one of the two is the charlatan.”
It was this sentence — and in particular the use of the word “charlatan” — that led to his conviction.
“This comment was truly defamatory and called into question his competence and his status as a doctor,” said Émeline Hamon, the doctor’s lawyer, according to La Dépêche du Midi.
The doctor himself did not publicly comment. He initially sought damages for reputational harm and emotional distress. Although the review was removed a few weeks later, the doctor argued that the damage had already been done.
On 15 May 2025, Vannes Judicial Court initially dismissed the doctor’s claim. However, after an appeal, on 17 February 2026 the Rennes Court of Appeal ruled that the comment was indeed defamatory. The man was ordered to pay €6,000 in damages and legal costs for harm to the doctor’s reputation.
What the law says
Under the French Law on the Freedom of the Press (1881), Article 29 defines defamation as: “Any allegation or imputation of a fact that harms the honour or reputation of the person or body to whom the fact is imputed constitutes defamation .”
However, in certain cases, establishing the truth of the alleged facts may serve as a valid defence.
This definition applies to online content, including Google reviews, social media posts, and other digital platforms.
Penalties vary depending on whether the defamation is public or private and on the seriousness of the harm caused to a person’s reputation. This is why users are advised to be cautious when publishing negative online reviews.
