In a civil action, per quod phrase prefaces the recital of the consequences of certain acts as a ground of special harm to the plaintiff in a civil complaint. In law of defamation, with respect to slander, per quod means that proof of special damages is required. With regard to libel, it means that proof of extrinsic circumstances is required.
Words that are actionable per quod do not furnish a basis for a lawsuit upon their face. They but are only litigable because of extrinsic facts showing the circumstances under which they were uttered or the damages ensuing to the defamed party because of the words.