Lowry v. Tarbox

537 S.W.3d 599
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 25, 2017
DocketNo. 04-16-00416-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by42 cases

This text of 537 S.W.3d 599 (Lowry v. Tarbox) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lowry v. Tarbox, 537 S.W.3d 599 (Tex. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

OPINION

Opinion by:

Irene Rios, Justice

This appeal arises from a dispute between Dr. Peter Tarbox and Dr. Robert Lowry regarding a neurology practice in which they shared an ownership interest. Appellee Dr. Tarbox brought suit against appellants Dr. Lowry, Neurology and Neurophysiology Associates, P.A. (NNPA), JCMLR, P.A., and Dr. Lynnell Lowry, alleging several causes of action. The jury found in favor of Dr. Tarbox and awarded both damages and exemplary damages. On appeal, appellants assert numerous legal and factual sufficiency challenges, as well as challenges to the jury charge, admission of evidence, the award of attorney’s fees, and application of the statutory eap on exemplary damages. For the following reasons, we reform the trial court’s judgment and affirm the judgment as reformed.

Background

In 2000, Dr. Tarbox and Dr. Lowry entered a contract (“the Contract”) to become joint owners of NNPA, a neurology medical practice. In 2004, the doctors accepted another partner, Dr. Yanko Yan-kov. At that time, the three partners created bylaws and signed a Stock Redemption Agreement. Dr. Lowry was the managing partner of NNPA as majority shareholder. Alamo Healthcare Systems (Alamo Healthcare), a company owned by Dr. Lowry, began serving as NNPA’s management company in 2004, with Dr. Tarbox’s and Dr. Yankov’s approval.

Dr. Yankov left the practice in 2010. In December 2010, Dr. Tarbox terminated his relationship with NNPA and sued appellants, asserting claims for: breach of contract; breach of the Stock Redemption Agreement; shareholder oppression and breach of the fiduciary duty owed to a minority owner; fraud and negligent misrepresentation; fraudulent transfer; tor-tious interference with the contracts between Dr. Tarbox and NNPA; and civil conspiracy.

Dr. Tarbox alleged he discovered in 2009 that Dr. Lowry directed a billing scheme which violated the contractual terms for Dr. Tarbox’s compensation. According to Dr. Tarbox, when the three doctors began the partnership, they intended to grow NNPA’s practice. In order to accomplish that growth, the doctors anticipated adding additional neurologists and physician assistants to the practice on a contract basis. According to Dr. Tarbox, the Contract provided that when NNPA contracted with the additional neurologists and physician assistants, Dr. Tarbox would be compensated for the revenue generated through the contracted employees’ practices. Dr. Tarbox additionally alleged he discovered Dr. Lowry had directed that the contracted employees be designated as employees of JCMLR, which is a separate entity owned solely by Dr. Lowry. Because of that designation, only Dr. Lowry profited from the revenue generated by those employees.

Dr. Tarbox also alleged Alamo Healthcare billed insurance carriers for the services of the contracted physicians improperly by'using Dr. Tarbox’s license prior to the contracted physicians being credentialed with the carriers or licensed to practice medicine in Texas. Dr. Tarbox alleged that when this billing scheme occurred, he did not receive compensation for the use of his license. Dr. Tarbox alleged he should have received 33 1/3% of the gross receipts for the fees generated under his license, as stated in the Contract. Appellants responded that Dr. Tarbox’s compensation under the Contract was based only upon revenue generated by services he personally performed.

Following a trial on the merits, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Dr. Tarbox and awarded both damages and exemplary damages.

This appeal followed.

Analysis

Sufficiency of the Evidence

Standard of Review

“When a party attacks the legal sufficiency of an adverse finding on an issue on which it did not have the burden of proof, it must demonstrate on appeal that no evidence supports the adverse finding.” Graham Cent. Station, Inc. v. Pena, 442 S.W.3d 261, 263 (Tex. 2014) (per curiam) (citing Croucher v. Croucher, 660 S.W.2d 55, 58 (Tex. 1983)). Our review of such a challenge considers the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict and indulges every -reasonable inference that would support it, crediting, favorable evidence if a reasonable factfinder could and disregarding contrary evidence unless a reasonable .factfinder could not. City of Keller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802, 821-22, 827 (Tex. 2005). The finding will be upheld if more than a scintilla of evidence supports it. Stafford v. Stafford, 726 S.W.2d 14, 16 (Tex. 1987).

When reviewing for factual sufficiency, we consider and weigh all the evidence, not just that supporting the finding. See Golden Eagle Archery, Inc. v. Jackson, 116 S.W.3d 757, 761 (Tex. 2003). However, we will not reverse unless “the evidence which supports the jury’s finding is so weak as -to (make the finding] clearly wrong and manifestly unjust.” Star Enter. v. Mane, 61 S.W.3d 449, 462 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2001, pet. denied); see Cain v. Bain, 709 S.W.2d 175, 176 (Tex. 1986).

Application

The Contract: The Payment of Revenues Agreement

In issue one, appellants contend the evidence is legally and factually insufficient to support the jury’s finding, in response to Question No. 1 that the parties agreed Dr. Tarbox was entitled to payment of 33 1/3% of the revenues collected under his medical license-.1 Additionally, in issue three, appellants contend the evidence does not support the jury’s assessment of damages resulting from NNPA’s breach of contract.

Existence of the Payment of Revenues Agreement

Question No. 1 of the jury charge asked the jury whether Dr, Tarbox and NNPA agreed that Dr. Tarbox “was entitled to thirty-three and one-third percent (33 1/3%). of the gross receipts for patient fees collected .under his medical license from activities, performed within the clinic setting.” The jury answered: “Yes.” -Appellants argue the jury’s answer ignored Dr. Lowry’s testimony that the agreement alleged by Dr. Tarbox did not exist and that doctors were not paid for patients they did not see.

The Contract admitted into evidence states Dr. Tarbox2 shall receive “thirty three and 1/3 percent (33.3%) of the gross receipts for patient fees received by the Company the prior calendar month, generated through [Dr. Tarbox’s] license, from activities performed within the clinic setting.” Both Dr. Tarbox and Dr. Lowry testified regarding the contract terms pertinent to Dr. Tarbox’s compensation.

Dr. Tarbox testified the provision “generated through [his] license” required that he be compensated for any revenue generated using his medical license. Dr. Tarbox also testified the parties agreed he was entitled to payment for fees generated for services billed and collected using his license but rendered by other doctors. Dr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
537 S.W.3d 599, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lowry-v-tarbox-texapp-2017.