Painless.com UDRP is painful

Ouch.

A dental supply firm has lost a cybersquatting dispute in which it tried to grab the valuable domain painless.com.

Benco Dental Supply Co. filed a UDRP with National Arbitration Forum against Pain Management, Inc. As the registrant’s name suggests, the domain registrant has previously offered pain management medical services.

While the domain is right now parked, the Whois record for the domain is public and lists Pain Management, Inc. So unlike some UDRPs in which the Complainant doesn’t know who the registrant is at the time of initial filing, it was clear in this case that the Respondent likely had a legitimate interest in the domain.

And then there’s the fact that the Respondent registered this domain in 1996. And it’s a dictionary word.

Panelist Steven M. Levy found for the domain name owner on the second and third elements of the UDRP but didn’t consider if this was a case of reverse domain name hijacking.