NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Tennessee Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court’s decision to dismiss a $25,000 lawsuit that was filed against a woman who wrote a negative Yelp review about a Mid-State doctor.
In 2019, Murfreesboro Dr. Kaveer Nandigam filed a defamation and false light lawsuit against Kelly Beavers for a Yelp review in which she called his behavior "unprofessional" and "unethical." She wrote:
"This ‘Dr's’ behavior today was totally unprofessional and unethical to put it mildly. I will be reporting him to the State of TN Medical Review Board and be filing a formal complaint. How this guy is in business is beyond me. Since when did they start allowing Doctors, to throw a complete temper tantrum in front of Patients and slam things when they get upset? He does not belong in the medical field at all."
The attorney for Nandigam Neurology later filed a $25,000 lawsuit against Beavers and her friend's son who posted a negative review on Google, as well.
In January 2020, the lawsuit was dropped, citing Tennessee's Public Participation Act, which was new legislation at the time.
Even after the suit was dropped, Nandigam's attorneys said they would continue to fight and later refiled the suit. However, the Tennessee Court of Appeals recently ruled to uphold the lower court's decision and dismiss the suit.
