$3.5 Million Defamation Verdict

A Fairfax jury as returned a $3.5 million verdict for a defamatory performance evaluation. The verdict was returned against Raytheon Corporation.

The plaintiff contended that the company brought in a recruiting company to evaluate the performance of  president of one of  Raytheon's subidiaries. She was told that her comments would be confidential but they eventually made their way back to the president.

She then contended that he retaliated and defamed her in a performance evaluation. She was subsequently terminated from Raytheon for reasons she contended (and the jury accepted) were false.

Ratheon had offered $300,000 to settle prior to trial. The case is being appealed to the Surpreme Court of Virginia.