VAN NUYS – Reggie Bush is appealing a judge’s confirmation of an arbitrator’s award of nearly $1.4 million to a businessman who sued Bush for defamation after having settled a previous suit against the former Heisman Trophy winner and USC running back.

Bush’s attorneys filed the notice of appeal of plaintiff Lloyd Lake’s award on Thursday in Van Nuys Superior Court. The appeal will be heard by a panel of the Second District Court of Appeal.

On June 18, Judge Eric Harmon heard arguments in Lake’s petition, briefly took the issues under submission and issued his final ruling later in the day. According to Lake’s court papers, on April 12 arbitrator Jeffrey G. Benz awarded him $500,000, plus $764,640 in attorneys’ fees and about $116,780 in costs.

Bush’s attorneys urged Harmon to vacate th

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