Ohio woman leaves a one-star Google review for a manufacturing company. Then the business sues her for over $25,000

An Ohio-based industrial equipment manufacturer has sued a Columbus woman for slander after she posted a one-star Google review, according to Brobible. Starr Manufacturing asserts in its lawsuit that the woman’s claims were untrue and seriously damaged its reputation.

The company claims that in her public Google review, she allegedly “falsely and maliciously made claims” that the business “had various quality and manufacturing failures with multiple customers.” Starr Manufacturing also claims that the woman wrote in her Google review that she “could provide names and addresses of additional people who could confirm these manufacturing issues.”

Starr says the review caused “significant reputational harm” to its business in a defamation lawsuit filed against the woman in the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas on August 12. The complaint also states that the company believes the woman will “continue to post and/or publish the false and malicious allegations” against them if a court does not intercede.

Company attorney links the review to a personal relationship with an employee

According to Starr’s complaint, Ohio residents saw, read, and accepted her review as fact, despite her recklessly disregarding the truth in her accusations, thereby damaging their reputation. The woman “is not a customer of Starr Manufacturing and has never been a customer,” according to a statement Thomas Nader, the company’s attorney, provided to People.

Nader claims that it was a beef between the woman and a company employee that led to the unfavorable review. “This was the result of a personal relationship between the defendant and an employee of Starr Manufacturing,” he added. Similar review disputes have led to further actions, including cases where a host left a revenge review.

“[This lawsuit] is not about Starr Manufacturing being upset about a bad review from a customer. This is a personal vendetta,” Nader stated.

According to one local media report, the woman’s review had accumulated 59 likes. People reviewed the woman’s Google review history and found that the few other reviews she had written over the preceding seven years were all five-star. Businesses have sometimes issued formal responses after critical feedback, such as when an office sent an investigation letter.

In addition to court costs and legal fees, Starr Manufacturing is apparently seeking more than $25,000, with the exact amount to be determined at trial.