Medical Justice provides free consultations to doctors facing medico-legal obstacles. We have solutions for doctor-patient conflicts, unwarranted demands for refunds, online defamation (patient review mischief), meritless litigation, and a gazillion other issues. We also provide counsel specific to COVID-19. If you are navigating a medico-legal obstacle, visit our booking page to schedule a free consultation – or use the tool shared below.

First, the obvious. The subject of this article is a moving company, not a doctor’s office. But there are lessons to be learned by examining why this particular moving company is in the crosshairs. We recently published an article about an aesthetic surgeon accused of using similar tactics to control his online reputation. What do both businesses have in common? They are now media stories.  

Liberty Bell Moving and Storage is a moving company based in the Northeast. Like the protagonists of our previous article, they tried to use contracts to stop customers from publishing negative online reviews. “Bad reviews” posted on social media or review aggregators would be deemed “false and defamatory” by the business. Customers who posted the reviews would be subject to fines and litigation.  

These accusations, among others, motivated the Attorney General to investigate the business. Following the investigation’s conclusion, the state of Maine sued Liberty over violations of the federal Consumer Review Fairness Act, Maine’s Unfair Trade Practices Act, and other violations specific to businesses that offer interstate moving services.  

So, the contracts spurred the investigation. But there’s more to the story than that. What else was going on?  

Liberty is accused of sending disgruntled customers emails threatening fines and litigation if the customer failed to remove reviews and social media posts the company deemed “defamatory.” Liberty threatened to sue those who refused to comply. The emails also implied disgruntled customers would be responsible for paying “lawyer fees upwards of $9,500.”  

Customers received these threats via a custom email address designed to appear as though it was the property of the company’s legal team. An intimidation tactic meant to scare recipients into compliance. It isn’t obvious to us that the “legal team” backing this email address even existed. Our source article suggests this department was likely a phantom.   

Seems like overkill. But wait – there’s more. The company also leveraged loan-shark-style interest rates to bully customers who published “defamatory” reviews into paying excessive fines.  

The company also warned of a “defamation fee” totaling $1,000 that would be assessed if the negative reviews are left up that would be subject to a 2.5% interest rate compounded daily – which “will essentially double the amount” to $2,000 after 30 days.  

The Attorney General had a field day.   

“It is ironic that a company named for an iconic symbol of freedom would concern itself with violating the free speech and other legally entitled rights of consumers,” Maine Attorney General Aaron M. Frey said in a statement. “I hope this case will remind consumers that no business can require you to waive your right to leave honest reviews of businesses and products.”  

The AG’s closing statement obviously applies to medical practices as well.   

Our source material indicates Liberty settled. Based on the facts as we understand them, it is hard to imagine the company rallying an effective defense. Per the settlement, the review contracts are out. The email address belonging to the company’s “legal team” must also disappear. And then there’s the $125,000 fine. Between the damning media story and the six-figure financial penalty, we wager Liberty’s strategy didn’t pay off in the long term.  

While the suspect in this piece is a moving company, many of the “lessons learned” apply to medical practices. Attempting to censure patients via contracts and fines is a bad practice. There are better ways of managing your online reputation. Heavy-handed “tactics” like those described in this piece will quickly turn patients into enemies and doctors into targets.  

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts below.

Medical Justice provides free consultations to doctors facing medico-legal obstacles. We have solutions for doctor-patient conflicts, unwarranted demands for refunds, online defamation (patient review mischief), meritless litigation, and a gazillion other issues. We also provide counsel specific to COVID-19. If you are navigating a medico-legal obstacle, visit our booking page to schedule a free consultation – or use the tool shared below.

Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD

Chief Executive Officer and Founder

Dr. Jeffrey Segal, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Medical Justice, is a board-certified neurosurgeon. Dr. Segal is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons; the American College of Legal Medicine; and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. He is also a member of the North American Spine Society. In the process of conceiving, funding, developing, and growing Medical Justice, Dr. Segal has established himself as one of the country’s leading authorities on medical malpractice issues, counterclaims, and internet-based assaults on reputation.

Dr. Segal was a practicing neurosurgeon for approximately ten years, during which time he also played an active role as a participant on various state-sanctioned medical review panels designed to decrease the incidence of meritless medical malpractice cases.

Dr. Segal holds a M.D. from Baylor College of Medicine, where he also completed a neurosurgical residency. Dr. Segal served as a Spinal Surgery Fellow at The University of South Florida Medical School. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa as well as the AOA Medical Honor Society. Dr. Segal received his B.A. from the University of Texas and graduated with a J.D. from Concord Law School with highest honors.

In 2000, he co-founded and served as CEO of DarPharma, Inc, a biotechnology company in Chapel Hill, NC, focused on the discovery and development of first-of-class pharmaceuticals for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dr. Segal is also a partner at Byrd Adatto, a national business and health care law firm. Byrd Adatto was selected as a Best Law Firm in the 2023 edition of the “Best Law Firms” list by U.S. News – Best Lawyers. With over 50 combined years of experience in serving doctors, dentists, and other providers, Byrd Adatto has a national pedigree to address most legal issues that arise in the business and practice of medicine.