Deana A. Pollard Sacks v. Thomas F. Hall and Thomas F. Hall, D.D.S., M.S. P.A.

Procedural entryThis page is a short order in Deana A. Pollard Sacks v. Thomas F. Hall and Thomas F. Hall, D.D.S., M.S. P.A.. Read the opinion of the Court — 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 10991
Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided January 29, 2015·No. 01-14-00301-CV·Published

Opinion

ACCEPTED 01-14-00301-CV FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 1/29/2015 10:03:29 PM CHRISTOPHER PRINE CLERK

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST DISTRICT OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON FILED IN 1st COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 1/29/2015 10:03:29 PM 01-14-00301-CV CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk

DEANA POLLARD SACKS Appellant, vs.

THOMAS F. HALL and THOMAS F. HALL, D.D.S, M.S., P.A. Appellees

ON APPEAL FROM THE COUNTY COURT AT LAW COURT NO. 3, CASE NO. 919405, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS

APPELLANT’S REPLY TO BRIEF OF APPELLEES

David J. Sacks Brad Beers SACKS LAW FIRM BEERS LAW FIRM State Bar No. 17505700 State Bar No. 02041400 2323 S. Shepherd Dr., Suite 825 5020 Montrose Blvd., Suite 700 Houston, Texas 77019 Houston, Texas 77006 Telephone: 713-863-8400 Telephone: 713-654-0700 Facsimile: 713-863-0502 Facsimile: 713-654-9898 david@sackslawfirm.com bbeers@beerslaw.net ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF, DEANA POLLARD SACKS

ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED 01-14-00301-CV

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... ii INDEX OF AUTHORITY ........................................................................................iv ARGUMENT .............................................................................................................1 I. OBJECTION: SACKS OBJECTS TO THE FACTUALLY INACCURATE STATEMENTS MADE IN HALL’S RESPONSE AND ASKS THE COURT NOT TO ACCEPT THEM AS TRUE. ............................................. 1 A. Contrary to Hall’s statement in his response, he never told Deana “he would continue treating her, but in order to do so, she must pay Hall the amount that she owed”. (page 2) .................................................. 2 B. Contrary to Hall’s statement in his response, Sacks never stated at Trial “Dr. Hall said that he would not treat her unless she paid the money he owed her”. (An apparent Freudian slip here) (Hall response page 3, para 2). ............................................................................3 C. Contrary to Hall’s statement in his response, Hall was not “forced to spend over $150,000 in attorney fees” and was not forced to pay attorney fees because he did not have an army of attorneys working for him without pay. (page 3)....................................................... 5 D. Contrary to Hall’s statement in his response, Hall did not perfectly place orthodontic braces on Appellant’s teeth (page 2) ............................. 7 E. Contrary to Hall’s statement in his response, Sacks simply did not stop coming to Hall (page 2) ...................................................................... 8 II. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF PRESENTMENT (Relates to Point of Error I) ...........................................................................11 A. Consistent with Hall’s internal files, he testified at Trial that he never asked Sacks for money. ..................................................................12 B. Sacks testified that no one at Hall’s office ever demanded or requested money from her after she prepaid Hall $4,775 for a 36 month treatment plan that failed after only a few months. ......................13 C. Hall’s second of three internal ledgers (generated 3/20/2007 at 3:35PM) pertaining to a $1,220 contract never entered into by the parties cannot be considered presentment of a claim, especially with Hall’s April 18, 2007, response to the complaint with GHDS admitting that a refund was owed to Sacks (DX10@A93) and Hall’s subsequent internal ledger reflecting a zero balance on the Sacks/Hall contract. (DX1@74)...............................................................18

APPELLANT’S REPLY TO BRIEF OF APPELLEES Page ii 01-14-00301-CV

III. HALL’S REFUSAL TO SEGREGATE RECOVERABLE FROM UNRECOVERABLE ATTORNEY FEES REQUIRES REVERSAL (Relates to Point of Error II) ..........................................................................24 IV. IT IS UNCONTESTED THAT HALL DID NOT PERFORM 100% OF THE SERVICES AGREED TO UNDER THE PARTIES’ ONLY CONTRACT; THEREFORE THE $1,220 AWARD IS UNSUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE AND MUST BE REVERSED. (Relates to Point of Error III, IV, & V) .........................................................26 V. ON THE FACE OF THE FORM CONTRACT DRAFTED BY HALL, THE INSURANCE BENEFITS ESTIMATED BY HALL WERE ASSIGNED BUT NOT RECEIVED, NECESSITATING A NEW (SECOND) CONTRACT BETWEEN THE PARTIES TO DEAL WITH ASSIGNED, UNPAID INSURANCE BENEFITS, AND NO NEW CONTRACT WAS EVER CREATED OR SIGNED BY THE PARTIES. (Relates to Point of Error VI) ........................................................................28 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................31 PRAYER ..................................................................................................................32 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE ................................................................................33 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE .......................................................................33 APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................

7. June 6, 2006 Financial Contract (PX1 RR V.11, P.2]) 8. Hall Chart Maintained on Sacks (PX2 [RR V.11, PP 3-4]) 9. Hall Claims Sent to Aetna regarding Sacks (DX10@A80-88 [RR V.12 PP 335-343]) 10. Hall April 18, 2007 Letter to the Greater (DX10@A90-93 Houston Dental Society Regarding Sacks [RR V12 PP 345-348]) 11. Hall Internal Ledgers (DX1 @ 68, 69, 74) 12. Legal Bills (DX18)

APPELLANT’S REPLY TO BRIEF OF APPELLEES Page iii 01-14-00301-CV

INDEX OF AUTHORITY

Cases Amir v. International Bank of Commerce, 419 S.W.3d 687 (Tex. App. - Houston [1st Dist.] 2013, no pet.) ....................................................................... 30 Ashford Partners v. Eco Resources Inc., 401 S.W. 3d 35 (Tex. 2012)....... 31 Forbau v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 876 S.W.2d 132 (Tex. 1994) ......................... 31 Gonzalez v. Mission American Ins. Co., 795 S.W. 2d 734 (Tex. 1990) ..... 30 Hohenberg Bros. Co. v. George E. Gibbons & Co., 537 S.W.2d 1 (Tex. 1976) ............................................................................................................................. 30

Rules Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 38.002 .............................................. 23, 31 Tex. R. App. P. 38 ...........................................................................................................2

APPELLANT’S REPLY TO BRIEF OF APPELLEES Page iv IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST DISTRICT OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON

01-14-00301-CV

DEANA POLLARD SACKS Appellant, vs. THOMAS F. HALL and THOMAS F. HALL, D.D.S, M.S., P.A. Appellees

ON APPEAL FROM THE COUNTY COURT AT LAW COURT NO. 3, CASE NO. 919405, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS

REPLY TO BRIEF OF APPELLEES

TO THE HONORABLE JUSTICES OF SAID COURT:

Appellant, Deana Pollard Sacks (herein referred to as “Sacks”), submits this

reply to the Brief of Appellees Thomas F. Hall and Thomas F. Hall, D.D.S., M.S.,

P.A. (herein sometimes collectively referred to as “Hall”).

ARGUMENT

I. OBJECTION: SACKS OBJECTS TO THE FACTUALLY INACCURATE STATEMENTS MADE IN HALL’S RESPONSE AND ASKS THE COURT NOT TO ACCEPT THEM AS TRUE. 01-14-00301-CV

Appellees submitted their brief in this case on December 18, 2014. Within

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Related

Hohenberg Bros. Co. v. George E. Gibbons & Co.
537 S.W.2d 1 (Texas Supreme Court, 1976)
De Gonzalez v. Mission American Insurance Co.
795 S.W.2d 734 (Texas Supreme Court, 1990)
Forbau Ex Rel. Miller v. Aetna Life Insurance Co.
876 S.W.2d 132 (Texas Supreme Court, 1994)
Rami Amir and Ron Aliezer v. International Bank of Commerce
419 S.W.3d 687 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2013)
Ashford Partners, Ltd. v. Eco Resources, Inc.
401 S.W.3d 35 (Texas Supreme Court, 2012)