The lawsuit, which is scheduled to go to trial in March, is being closely watched because of the questions it raises about free speech online, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

In his first Web posting, in November 2007, Christopher Norberg had no criticism of the treatment he received from Steven Biegel at Advanced Chiropractic Center. But he took aim at Biegel's charges and suggested he was cheating insurers.

When Biegel complained, Norberg replaced that post with one that accused the chiropractor of trying to silence him.

Biegel's lawyer, Eric Nordskog, said that Norberg accused his client of a crime -- insurance fraud -- and that the postings have hurt his business.

"I'm not looking for my 15 minutes of fame," Biegel told the newspaper Wednesday. "This suit was filed after a year of trying to resolve this. I am a proponent of free speech, but at the same time, individuals have a responsibility when they publish something as to the accuracy of it."