Nola Ventures, LLC v. Upshaw Insurance Agency, Inc.
Nola Ventures, LLC v. Upshaw Insurance Agency, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
ORDER
This litigation involves an insurance dispute arising out of a May 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri that destroyed two Arby’s restaurants owned and/or operated by Nola Ventures LLC, Nola Restaurant Group LLC, and Critical Mass Holdings LLC (collectively, “Plaintiffs”). Plaintiffs allege that Defendants Upshaw Insurance Agency, Inc. (“Upshaw”) and Upshaw agent Robert Bentley (“Bentley”) (collectively, “Defendants”) negligently misrepresented the type of coverage provided by the insurance policy that Upshaw procured for them.
Before the Court is Defendants’ “Motion for Summary Judgment on the Issue of Damages,”
I. Background
A. Factual Background
NOLA Ventures, LLC (“NOLA Ventures”) is an “Arby’s Roast Beef’ restau
In their complaint, Plaintiffs allege that Defendants represented the 2011-2012 Lexington property policy to be a “blanket” policy, in which “the pool of monies available to cover a physical loss occurrence at any of the plaintiffs’ restaurants consisted of the $10,000,000 Primary Layer of insurance and the $13,152,000 Excess Layer of insurance and that the policies would cover the cost to replace the insured property without other limits.”
On September 9, 2013, Plaintiffs submitted the report of Dr. Kenneth J. Bou-dreaux (“Boudreaux”) on the issue of damages. According to Boudreaux’s report, Plaintiffs allege damages arising from: (1) the loss of the Main Street and Range Line properties; (2) the necessary sale of the Main Street land “in an untimely manner and at a distress price,” with associated adverse tax effects; (3) settlement of the lease on the Range Line property; (4) the required partial paying down of a loan from General Electric Capital (“GE”)’s financing subsidiary, with associated adverse tax effects; (5) the effects of cash flow shortages, increased overheads, and other deleterious business effects on NOLA Ventures’ business operations; (6) reduced lease payments by NOLA Ventures to CMH; (7) loss of the opportunity to acquire additional Arby’s restaurants in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; (8) the cost of Axis excess insurance coverage that produced no benefits to Plaintiffs; and (9) the “inappropriateness of using insurance proceeds received by [P]laintiffs as offsets to their economic losses.”
B. Procedural Background
On April 23, 2012, Plaintiffs filed suit in 24th Judicial District Court, Jefferson Parish, for damages “which resulted from the defendants’ negligence, misrepresentation, want of care, fault and breach of fiduciary duty.”
II. Parties’ Arguments
A. Defendants’ Arguments in Support
Defendants move for summary judgment with respect to the following items of damage: (1) CMH’s claim for loss of future rent of the Main Street property in the amount of $626,0253; (2) NOLA Ventures’ settlement of the Range Line lease for $250,000; (3) NOLA Ventures’ loss valuation of $900,000; (4) Plaintiffs’ income taxes of $383,700 and loan modification fee of $45,000 related to its loan from GE (the “GE loan”); (5) NOLA Ventures’ lost business value calculation of $2,225,495; (6) CMH’s lost lease values; (7) NOLA Ventures’ alleged lost business opportunity in Ft. Lauderdale; (8) “Worthless Axis Policy” damages; and (9) all other damages claims.
1. CMH’s cláim for lost rent of the Main Street property in the amount of $626,0253
Defendants argue that summary judgment is appropriate with respect to the damages identified in Boudreaux’s opinion that “because the restaurant was not rebuilt, plaintiff/insured CMH lost future lease payments over the life of the lease (through 2026 from plaintiff/insured NOLA Ventures) in the amount of $626,-025.”
Next, Defendants argue that CMH has no right of action because it “has been made whole.”
Defendants further contend that CMH’s and NOLA Ventures’ damages and credits “offset” each other. Specifically,
CMH is claiming that it lost future rentals in the amount of $626,025. However, at the same time, NOLA Ventures has a corresponding benefit in that exact same amount. NOLA does not. have to pay rent in the amount of $626,025. There is no damage here. It is a complete wash.25
Defendant moreover avers that if the Court finds that CMH is entitled to recover future loss rentals, “then necessarily Upshaw is entitled to a credit in the exact same amount against any damages claimed by NOLA.”
2. NOLA’s settlement of Range Line lease in the amount of $250,000
Defendants argue that NOLA Ventures paid $250,000 to settle its lease on the Range Line property, but that $226,340 of this sum was paid directly out of settlement proceeds.
3. NOLA’s loss valuation of $900,000 based on the U.S. Beef offer
Defendants aver that Boudreaux erroneously calculated a $900,000 loss of valuation based on an offer to purchase the two restaurants by U.S. Beef in 2008.
Under Louisiana law, Defendants contend, the proper measure of valuation must be performed at the time the business was destroyed and “based on profits.”
had no profits and indeed were losing money. In 2010[,] Range Line was showing a net loss for the year of $4,303. Up until the time of the tornado in 2011, Range Line was showing a net loss of $4,025. Similarly, in 2010 Main Street was showing a net loss of $6,594 for the year and a net loss of $6,559 through the time of the tornado in 2011. There were no profits.37
According to Defendants, Boudreaux did not try to calculate whether the Joplin stores were making or losing money.
Finally, Defendants again argue that Plaintiffs have already received more in insurance proceeds than the purported loss of valuation, and have therefore incurred no damages.
4. Income taxes and loan modification fee related to GE loan
After cessation of operations at the Main Street location, Plaintiffs repaid a $383,700 loan to GE, the holder of a mortgage on that property (the “GE loan”), for which Plaintiffs had to pay income taxes. Additionally, GE charged a fee of $45,000 for a loan modification.
Defendants argue that “[a] taxable income event is not a ‘damage.’ Further, the [Plaintiffs would have to pay this income tax in any event whenever the loan was ultimately paid.”
5. NOLA lost business value calculation of $2,225,495
Defendants argue that Boudreaux erred when he derived a valuation loss of $2,225,495 by comparing company-wide sales in 2010 to company-wide sales in 2011.
Defendants also argue that Boudreaux submitted a loss valuation of $900,000 for the Joplin restaurants, but that he then additionally submitted a loss valuation of $2,225,495 “for the same businesses.”
6. CMH’s claim for lost lease values
Defendants.argue that “Boudreaux does not try to differentiate the amount of loss contributed in this damage item by Range Line (if any) as opposed to the amount caused by Main Street (if any).”
Defendants reaver that the CMH lost lease value is “not a true damage” because both CMH and NOLA Ventures have identical members, so “CMH is entitled to zero for this damage item because the members are ‘congruent.’ ”
[I]t is undisputed that the two Joplin properties were losing money in 2010 and 2011. As such, they were not contributing to the lease payments of the other 29 stores. Accordingly, necessarily, the closure of the two Joplin stores in no way could have caused the other stores to have become unable to meet their lease payments to CMH as a matter of law. There is simply no record evidence that profits from the Joplin stores (or revenues from the Joplin stores) were being used to help prop up the other stores and being used to help those other stores make their lease payments to CMH (and certainly not in the amount of $252,620 one year).56
7. NOLA Ventures’ alleged lost business opportunity in Ft. Lauderdale
Defendants next turn to Boudreaux’s contention that NOLA Ventures had defaulted on certain payments to its Arby’s franchiser, and as a result, NOLA Ventures lost the opportunity to acquire additional Arby’s restaurants in Fort Lauder-dale, Florida.
Defendants aver that the lost business opportunity at issue was between Lauder-dale Group LLC — a corporation formed or to be formed by Bienvenu and Bastion— and Crystal Bridge Inc. Defendants point to several cases that, Defendants contend, support the proposition that Louisiana law prohibits an individual member of a limited liability company from pursuing an action for damages to the limited liability company’s property.
A1 Bienvenu and Scott Bastion are not insureds under the policy and are not plaintiffs in this litigation. As such, it is irrelevant whether or not they incurred any damages. They are not entitled to recover monies from an insurance agent when they are not the insured, they are not entitled to recover money in this lawsuit when they are not plaintiffs and have not stated a claim.60
Defendants additionally point to testimony from the Arby’s corporate deposition that “this Florida transaction was a ‘nonstarter prior to the Joplin tornado, due to previous defaults by NOLA.”
Defendants contend that Plaintiffs have no cause of action with regard to the Axis policy because “[i]t is undisputed that the excess policy would never be triggered even if plaintiffs were entitled to all insurance proceeds they are claiming herein.”
9. All other damage claims
Defendants argue that summary judgment is appropriate with regard to any other damages claims. Defendants aver that there is no record evidence that any loss of revenue from the Joplin restaurants has caused any consequential damages to Plaintiffs, or that “[Pjlaintiffs would have to prove with regard to any other consequential damages that the amount of insurance proceeds received by plaintiffs ($1.19 million) was not sufficient to cover those consequential damages.”
According to Defendants, “[ujnder the Lexington policy and under Louisiana law, rebuilding is a condition precedent to receipt of rebuilding costs instead of actual cash value.”
B. Plaintiffs’ Argument in Opposition
In opposition to Defendants’ motion, Plaintiffs assert that their:
[CJlaims against Upshaw are not based upon breach of a lease, a policy, or any contract other than their agreement with Upshaw. Instead, plaintiffs have sued Upshaw for damages resulting from Upshaw’s ‘negligence, misrepresentation, want of care, fault and breach of fiduciary duty’ in failing to procure the insurance plaintiffs wanted and Up-shaw assured plaintiffs they would have.69
Additionally, Plaintiffs aver that Defendants use only Boudreaux’s testimony (“an expert economist who was not retained to discuss causation”), and ignore testimony from Nola Ventures’ witnesses Al Bien-venu, Scott Bastion and Darrell Ashley on causation.
1. CMH’s claim for lost rent of the Main Street property
Plaintiffs claim that prior to the 2011 tornado, NOLA Ventures leased the Main
In response to Defendants’ argument that CMH is not entitled to loss of rent because it did not place NOLA Ventures in default or provide written notice of termination, Plaintiffs argue that Defendants cannot use a contract to which it is not a party to shield it from liability.
With respect to Defendants’ argument that CMH is not entitled to lost future rents because CMH has received the sale price of the Joplin properties, Plaintiffs aver that what they recovered from Lexington is not determinative of its claim for loss of rents because “[w]hen a plaintiff sues its insurance agent in tort for breach of duty, its damages are not limited by the policy.”
[A] specific requirement in the loan agreement with GE required that the leased properties must exhibit profitability. Because of the loss of the Joplin restaurants and the related insurance-based downturn in NOLA Ventures’ overall operations, NOLA Ventures was forced to reduce its lease payments to CMH for all its leases in order to reduce its cost of business.79
Plaintiffs contend that CMH’s sale of the property mitigated its damages, and that CMH gives Upshaw a credit for the sale when it subtracts the sale price ($112,425) from Plaintiffs’ claim for “Loss of Joplin Arby’s Restaurants Enterprise Value.”
Finally, in response to Defendants’ argument that CMH and NOLA Ventures’ damages with regard to the Main Street property “offset” each other, Plaintiffs argue that CMH and NOLA Ventures are
With regard to CMH’s calculation of its loss of rent,
[i]n 2010 CMH collected $1,080,103 in rental revenue from NOLA Ventures. In 2011 CMH collected only $827,482. The annual difference, $252,621 flows directly to CMH’s bottom line as lost cash flow. Upshaw does not dispute Dr. Boudreaux’ use of an 8% cap rate. Thus the value of this annual loss to CMH if $3,157,763.83
2. NOLA Ventures’ claim for settlement of Range Line lease
In response to Defendants’ argument that NOLA Ventures cannot recover for the $250,000 paid to terminate the Range Line lease because the bulk of that sum was paid out of the $1.9 million received under the Lexington policy, Plaintiffs again note that “this is a separate item of damage in addition to the cost to rebuild, for which NOLA Ventures is entitled to recover.”
The source of funds that NOLA Ventures used to settle with University Park is irrelevant. Money is money. Lexington did not reimburse NOLA Ventures for the lease termination. But for Upshaw’s negligence, NOLA Ventures would have a functioning restaurant and would not have had to pay $250,000 to University Park. However, because of Upshaw’s fault, NOLA Ventures is short $250,000.85
Plaintiffs argue that a defendant insurance agency cannot offset amounts it owes to the insureds with settlement money from the insurance company.
3. NOLA’s loss valuation of $900,000 based on the U.S. Beef offer
In response to Defendants’ argument that the U.S. Beef offer is inadmissible as an evidentiary matter and unreliable as a matter of law, Plaintiffs argue first that there is no strict rule prohibiting the use of an offer to establish business valuation.
[B]ecause of the loss of income from the Joplin franchises, NOLA’s 2011 results were worse than its 2010 results by amounts ranging from $445,099 to $514,127. Using the lower number ($445,099) and applying an industry standard multiple of five times earnings as a reasonable value factor for businesses like NOLA’s, Dr. Boudreaux opines in his report that the loss of value of NOLA Ventures’ business was $2,225,495 (5 x $445,099).91
4. Income taxes and loan modification fee related to GE loan
According to Plaintiffs, once it was determined that rebuilding was not possible, GE required early payment of the loan, and this loan payment was treated as income for tax purposes.
Regarding Defendants’ argument that there is no evidence that the GE loan modification was caused by a lack of insurance proceeds for rebuilding, Plaintiffs point to Bievenue’s deposition testimony, which, Plaintiffs allege, indicates that Plaintiffs underwent the GE loan modification in order to address the “half million dollar hole” caused by the tornado.
5. NOLA lost business value calculation of $2,225,495
Plaintiffs argue that Boudreaux was retained to quantify and assess damages, not determine causation.
With respect to Boudreaux’s calculation method, Plaintiffs contend that Boudreaux “applied a five times multiple to NQLA [Ventures] earnings shortfall of $445,099, an equivalent to 20% net of inflation discount rate, which is a reasonable rate for valuing such businesses and is consistent with the Real Estate Research Corporation’s rates.”
In response to Defendants’ argument that Plaintiffs are “double-dipping” be
6. CMH’s claim for lost lease values
Plaintiffs do not dispute that CMH did not own the Range Line property and cannot recover for its loss. “However, NOLA Ventures does and it has a claim for damages due to the loss of that building.”
Plaintiffs dispute Defendants’ argument that the Joplin stores were losing money. According to Plaintiffs,
[w]hat Upshaw seems to be refering [sic] to as proof that NOLA Ventures was losing money is NOLA’s internal managerial accounting that includes an 11% management fees [sic] paid by each restaurant to NOLA Ventures. As Up-shaw’s expert, Steve Wood, testified, this management accounting is only a forward looking estimate for management and irrelevant for determining actual profitability.”104
Plaintiffs reaver that CMH and NOLA Ventures are distinct corporate entities. Therefore, “CMH should not be punished simply because its members are also members of NOLA Ventures.”
With respect to causation, Plaintiffs again argue that Boudreaux was retained to quantify Plaintiffs’ damages, not to opine on causation. Plaintiffs again point to Bienvenu’s testimony that the loss of the Joplin stores resulted in a $2,225,497 business valuation loss to NOLA Ventures.
7. Plaintiffs’ claim for loss of business opportunity in Ft. Lauderdale
Plaintiffs adopt “Plaintiffs’ Memorandum in Opposition to Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on the ‘Lost Business Opportunities’ Damage Claim by Defendant Lexington Insurance Company.”
8. Axis Policy Damages
Plaintiffs state “[t]he Axis policy was worthless. Since the Lexington policy was a schedule policy instead of a blanket policy, plaintiffs were limited to the scheduled values in the Lexington policy. An ‘excess’ policy that will never be used was a waste of money, and plaintiffs are entitled to get it back.”
9. All other damages
With respect to Defendants’ argument that since Plaintiffs did not rebuild, any claim for rebuilding costs should be disallowed as double recovery, Plaintiffs aver that they are not seeking rebuilding costs.
C. Defendants’ Reply in Further Support
In response to Plaintiffs’ opposition brief, Defendants reaver that “CMH is allowing NOLA not to pay rent for Main Street. NOLA necessarily has a credit in that amount and CMH has an identical debit. This is nothing more than an accounting maneuver between two affiliated companies.”
In response to Plaintiffs’ argument that Bienvenu, not Boudreaux, provided causation evidence, Defendants contend that Bienvenu does not actually provide any record evidence of valuation or the U.S. Beef offer, and makes no independent valuation as an owner.
Defendants additionally argue that Plaintiffs fail to submit evidence that GE required loan modification because of a lack of insurance proceeds for rebuilding. It is Defendants’ position that Bienvenu’s testimony that GE required Plaintiffs to effect the loan modification is “rank hearsay.”
[Plaintiffs’] company of 29 stores had less gross revenues in 2011 than 2010. So what? Two stores closed early in 2011 and then the two Joplin stores closed in May. It is unknown if other stores were performing worse in 2011 than 2010. There is simply no summary judgment evidence to support a claim that this company-wide decrease in sales for all 29 stores was related to Joplin.124
Defendants further argue that Plaintiffs have failed to provide record evidence of how much, if any, of the income derived from the Joplin restaurants was being used by NOLA Ventures to pay the rent of other NOLA Ventures restaurants.
Plaintiffs ignore the express holding of the Louisiana Supreme Court and the U.S. Fifth Circuit that an insured may not recover in excess of his actual loss. It is not relevant or material if an insured has [a] blanket ‘policy’ or even limitless coverage. To the contrary, it is undisputed that by law, the insured is only entitled to recover the actual damages it incurred.126
D. Defendants’ Supplemental Memorandum in Support
Defendants argue that Plaintiffs offer “incompetent summary judgment evidence” in their opposition to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment.
With regard to the leases, Defendants argue that “[t]he production of the (unauthenticated) original leases as well as the production of a non-verified letter from plaintiffs’ counsel advising that the amendments to the original leases were ‘oral’ is still incompetent summary judg
Defendants next turn to “the one Louisiana lease.” If Arizona law applies to that lease, Defendants argue, then summary judgment is appropriate because, according to Defendants, Arizona law would prohibit its oral modification.
Defendants again argue that Plaintiffs have failed to submit causation evidence that any loss of revenue necessitated the rental reduction that Plaintiffs claim, including through the year 2026.
Defendants next argue that Plaintiffs submit only Exhibit G and Exhibit H to the affidavit of Bienvenu, and that neither exhibit is “competent summary evidence” of the NOLA Ventures Loss Business Value because (1) they were not authenticated by Bienvenu in his affidavit, and (2) “they are schedules prepared for litigation.”
E. Plaintiffs’ Sur-Reply Memorandum in further Opposition
In further opposition to Defendants’ motion, Plaintiffs argue that their “Sur-Reply Memorandum in Opposition to Defendants’ Motions in Limine to Exclude Certain of Plaintiffs’ Exhibits” contains CMH’s rent records for all properties leased to NOLA Ventures covering all periods relevant to this litigation.
Plaintiffs reaver that the Defendants, as strangers to the lease, are precluded from asserting the statute of frauds to shield themselves from liability, regardless of whether Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arizona, or Missouri law governs.
III. Standard on a Motion for Summary Judyment
Summary judgment is appropriate when the pleadings, the discovery, and any affidavits show that “there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the mov-ant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”
The party seeking summary judgment always bears the initial responsibility of informing the Court of the basis for its motion and identifying those portions of the record that it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact.
IV. Law and Analysis
A. Applicable Law
This Court’s subject matter jurisdiction was invoked pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332, which provides original jurisdiction over civil actions between citizens of different states where the matter in controversy exceeds $75,000. As a federal court exercising diversity jurisdiction, it is “axiomatic” that this Court must apply Louisiana law to resolve matters of substantive law presented in the pending motion and “attempt to discern how Louisiana’s highest court would resolve the issues at hand.”
B. Analysis
1. CMH’s claim for lost rent of the Main Street Property in the amount of $626,025
Defendants claim that CMH is not entitled to lost future rent of the Main Street property because CMH has already received $383,760.25 in insurance proceeds. Plaintiffs argue that CMH’s claim for lost rental income is in addition to the amount for building damage ultimately paid under the Lexington policy.
The collateral source rule is a rule of evidence and damages that is of common law origin, yet embraced and applied by Louisiana courts. Under the collateral source rule, “a tortfeasor may not benefit, and an injured plaintiffs tort recovery may not be reduced, because of monies received by the plaintiff from sources independent of the tortfeasor’s procuration or contribution.”
Defendants’ argument that CMH cannot claim future lost rentals as a matter of law because it never placed NOLA in default or provided NOLA with a written notice of termination is similarly unpersuasive.
Under Louisiana law, a court may not consider parol evidence to alter the terms of a written agreement when that agreement is a complete and accurate statement of all the terms agreed upon by
Defendants next argue that CMH and NOLA Ventures’ damages “offset” each other because any rent that CMH has been unable to collect is rent that NOLA Ventures did not have to pay. Plaintiffs respond that CMH and NOLA Ventures are distinct entities; namely, that NOLA Ventures is owned by Bienvenu and Bastion; CMH is owned by Bastion and Terra Firma Holdings, LLC; and Terra Firma Holdings is owned by Bienvenu, individually and in his capacity as trustee of the PAB Trust No. I.
2. NOLA’s settlement of Range Line Lease in the amount of $250,000
According to Boudreaux, NOLA Ventures paid $250,000 to the owner of the Range Line property to settle the lease on that property. Defendants argue that summary judgment as to this damage item is appropriate because there is no evidence that the entire sum was not paid out of the $1.9 million insurance proceeds received by NOLA Ventures. Plaintiffs argue that the source of these funds is irrelevant because the $1.9 million payment was intended to reimburse NOLA Ventures for rebuilding, not for the lease termination.
3. NÓLA’s loss valuation of $900,000 based on the U.S. Beef offer
Defendants argue that Boudreaux erred in valuing the Joplin properties based on the 2008 U.S. Beef offer because (1) evidence of an offer to purchase is inadmissible and unreliable as a matter of law and (2) under Louisiana law, the proper measure of valuation must- be performed at the time the business was destroyed and based on profits. Plaintiffs argue that (1) there is no strict rule prohibiting use of an offer to establish business valuation and (2) Boudreaux’s valuation calculation was valid.
Defendants additionally argue that under Louisiana law, a valuation must be performed at the time the business was destroyed. In Achee v. Nat’l Tea Co., a case upon which Defendants rely, the First Circuit Court of Appeals of Louisiana defined “business destruction” as “a business that is, in effect, put out of existence,” and held that the proper measure of damages for a business destruction claim is the loss of value of the business at the time of the destruction.
Business valuations methods are not exact and are basically guides for buyers and sellers to use in an effort to determine what would be the fair market value for a given business. Given the dynamics of businesses and business practices, and factoring in circumstance that may be unique to the parties, an inflexible formula for determining loss of value would be impracticable.178
Plaintiffs present evidence in the record— namely, Boudreaux’s report — that the valuation of the Joplin properties was calculated two ways: by using the U.S. Beef offer as a “reliable fair market value” for the stores, and by analyzing the “free cash flow” of a business operation, which uses earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to calculate free cash flow.”
The Court concludes that Defendant’s criticism of Boudreaux’s choice of data and assumptions underlying his opinion go to the weight of his testimony and not to its admissibility. This is not the kind of case in which “the universe of facts assumed by the expert differs frequently and substantially from the undisputed record evidence.”
4. Income taxes and loan modification fee related to GE Loan
Defendants argue that Plaintiffs have not shown that the income tax consequences and loan modification fee incurred by early repayment of the GE loan resulted from the destruction of the Joplin properties. As a threshold issue, Defendants argue that income tax is not a damage. However, under Louisiana Civil Code article 2315, a tortfeasor must compensate a tort victim for all of the damages occasioned by his act. The term “damages” refers to “pecuniary compensation, recompense, or satisfaction for an injury sustained.”
Plaintiffs point to Bievenu’s deposition testimony, which, they allege, indicates that Plaintiffs underwent the GE loan modification in order to address the “half million dollar hole” caused by the tornado.
Because the stores — or the tornado set what I’d say a chain reaction into play that wasn’t covered by- — or either wasn’t covered or we didn’t receive the funds that we thought we'd get from Lexington as a result of what we thought we were getting from — from Joplin. My belief is that had we gotten — not from Joplin, from Upshaw. Had we gotten what we thought we had, we would have been fine, we would have had a short cash flow issue for a handful of months that would have rebounded and we would have been fine. Instead what happened is, we didn’t have the coverage that we thought we had, which caused our short term cash flow problem and turned it into a long term cash flow problem. And that’s why there’s the damage claim.186
Plaintiffs additionally proffer Boudreaux’s expert report, in which he states that “[b]ecause of the cessation of operations in Joplin, plaintiffs’ GE financing required that plaintiffs use $383,700 of its insurance proceeds to pay-down its GE loan.”
5. NOLA lost business value calculation of $2,225,495
Defendants argue that Boudreaux erred when he derived a valuation loss of $2,225,495 by comparing company-wide sales in 2010 to company-wide sales in 2011.
The Court concludes that Defendant’s criticism of Boudreaux’s choice of data and assumptions underlying his opinion go to the weight of his testimony and not to its admissibility. This is not the kind of case in which “the universe of facts assumed by the expert differs frequently and substantially from the undisputed record evidence.”
Defendants additionally argue that Plaintiffs are “double-dipping” because Boudreaux contends that NOLA has incurred losses of $900,000 for the Joplin properties and $2,225,495 overall, including the Joplin figures. Boudreaux’s summary of his assessment of Plaintiffs’ damages includes both “NOLA’s Loss of Joplin Arby’s Business Value” for $900,000 and “NOLA’s Lost Business Value” for $2,225,495.
This [$2,225,495] figure of course includes the effect of NOLA’s loss of the ongoing Joplin business value, cited above as $900,000. At this writing I am not expressing an opinion as to the interaction of these two lost valuation figures (which would at least require NOLA data beyond 2011 and perhaps for several years). Mr. Bienvenu or another representative of NOLA may be capable of refining that interaction for the trier of fact.195
Plaintiffs contend that the $2,225,495 overall business loss valuation included the $900,000 loss of the two Joplin stores.
6. CMH’s claim for lost lease values
Plaintiffs seek damages allegedly caused when GE required CMH to reduce the rent of the other NOLA Ventures leases — which extend to 2026 — so that those properties would be profitable.
Plaintiffs have proffered testimony by Bienvenu that the loss of the Joplin properties effected the other NOLA Ventures stores, and that the Joplin stores contributed to the income of NOLA Ventures.
In 2010 CMH collected $1,080,103 in rental revenue from NOLA [Ventures]; in 2011 CMH collected only $827,482 of such revenues. The annual difference, $252,621 flows directly to CMH’s bottom line as lost cash flow. Using the 8% cap rate[,] the value of this annual loss to CMH is $3,157,763.201
The Court finds that there is a material issue of fact regarding whether the loss of the Joplin properties caused the other NOLA Ventures properties to become unprofitable, and that Plaintiffs have proffered sufficient evidence that NOLA Ventures and CMH are different entities.
7. NOLA Ventures’ alleged lost business opportunity in Ft. Lauderdale
In their motion, Defendants argue that the alleged business opportunity in Ft. Lauderdale was speculative and a “nonstarter prior to the Joplin tornado, due to previous defaults by NOLA [Ventures].”
8. Axis Policy Damages
Defendants contend that Plaintiffs have no cause of action with regard to the Axis policy because “[i]t is undisputed that
9. All other damages
Defendants seek summary judgment all other damages claims. Defendants argue that since Plaintiffs did not rebuild either Joplin location — they settled the lease with the landlord for one location and sold the other — any claim for rebuilding costs should be disallowed as double recovery under Louisiana law.
V CONCLUSION
For the reasons stated above,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment on the Issue of Damages arising out of NOLA Ventures’ alleged lost business opportunity in Ft. Lauderdale is GRANTED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that as to (1) CMS’s claim for loss of future rent of the Main Street property in the amount of $626,0253; (2) NOLA Ventures’ settlement of the Range Line lease for $250,000; (3) NOLA Ventures’ loss valuation of $900,000; (4) Plaintiffs’ income taxes of $383,700 and loan modification fee of $45,000 related to its loan from GE (the “GE loan”); (5) NOLA Ventures’ lost business value calculation of $2,225,495; (6) CMH’s lost lease values; (8) “Worthless Axis Policy” damages; and (9) all other damages claims, Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED.
. Rec. Doc. 72.
. Rec. Doc. 72-3 at p. 1-2.
. Rec. Doc. 71-5.
. Rec. Doc. 71-30 (hereinafter "Bastion deposition") at p. 93.
. Rec. Doc. 98 at p. 1.
. Rec. Doc. 1-1 at p. 3.
. Id. at p. 5.
. See Rec. Doc. 70-3 (hereinafter "Boudreaux report”) at p. 13.
. Boudreaux report at p. 4-5.
.Id. at p. 13. The final page of Boudreaux's report lists the following itemized damages and credits allegedly sustained by Plaintiffs: (1) "NOLA's Loss of Joplin Arby’s Business Value” ($900,000); (2) “Cost to Reestablish Two Joplin Arby’s” ($2,183,000); (3) "Amount Paid by Insurer” ($1,190,000); (4) “Insurance shortfall to Rebuild” ($993,000); (5) "CMH Loss of Main Street Property” ($626,025); (6) "NOLA’s Settlement of Range Line Lease” ($250,000); (7) "Plaintiffs' Losses on GE Loan” (202,342); (8) "NOLA Interest Cost to Arby’s” ($16,892); (9) “NOLA’s Lost Business Value” ($2,225,495); (10)
. Rec. Doc. 1-1.
. Rec. Doc. 1.
. Rec. Doc. 71.
. Rec. Doc. 96.
. Rec. Doc. 117.
. Rec. Doc. 193.
. Rec. Doc. 219.
. Rec. Doc. 72-63.
. Rec. Doc. 72-3 at p. 2.
. Id. at p. 2-3 (citing Rec. Doc. 72-4 at pp. 23-28).
. Id.
. Id. (citing Rec. Doc. 72-6).
. Id. at p. 4.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. .
. Id. at p. 5.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. at pp. 5-6.
. Id. at p. 6.
. Id. at p. 7 (citing United States v. Smith, 355 F.2d 807 (5th Cir. 1966)). (citing Sharp v. United States, 191 U.S. 341, 24 S.Ct. 114, 48 L.Ed. 211 (1903); St. Joe Paper Co. v. United States, 155 F.2d 93 (5th Cir. 1946); United States v. Playa de Flor Land & Improvement Co., 160 F.2d 131 (5th Cir. 1947)).
. Id. at p. 9.
. Id. (citing Rec. Doc. 72-10 (hereinafter “Boudreaux deposition”) at p. 20).
. Id. at p. 7 (citing Achee v. National Tea Co., 95 CA 2556 (La.App. 1st Cir. 1996) 686 So.2d 121; Perfect Co. v. Essex Ins. Co., No. 07-7642, 2010 WL 2835889 (E.D.La. July 15, 2010)).
. Id. (citing Achee v. National Tea Co., 95 CA 2556 (La.App. 1st Cir. 1996) 686 So.2d 121).
. Id. at p. 8.
. Id. (citing Boudreaux deposition at pp. 24-25).
. Id. at p. 9
. Id. (citing Bellard v. Am. Cent. Ins. Co., 2007-1335 (La.4/18/08), 980 So.2d 654).
. Id.
. Id. at p. 10.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 11.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 12.
. Id.
. Id. (citing Boudreaux deposition at pp. 110-11).
. Id. at p. 13.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 15.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. at pp. 16-17 (citing Boudreaux deposition at p. 31) Specifically, Defendants argue that "NOLA Ventures' gets a credit in the exact same amount of the lease reduction to CMH. The plaintiffs are essentially using a voluntary accounting maneuver between two "affiliated companies with common/identical ownership to create a damage item here. The loss of one affiliated company is exactly compensated by the gain "of another affiliated company.” Id.
. Id. at p. 15.
. Id. at p. 17. Defendants state that they understand that this item of damage is directed at Lexington Insurance Company.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 18 (citing, among other cases, Lightfoot v. Hartford Fire Insurance Co., 07-4833, 2012 WL 967086 (E.D.La. Mar. 20, 2012)).
. Id. at p. 19.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. at pp. 23-24.
. Id. at p. 23.
. Id. at p. 20.
. Id. at p. 20 (citing Bradley v. Allstate Ins. Co., 620 F.3d 509 (5th Cir. 2010)).
. Id. at p. 21 (citing Rec. Doc. 72-15 at p. 7).
. Id.
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 1.
. Id. at pp. 1-2.
. Id. at p. 14.
. Id. at p. 4.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 5.
. Id. at pp. 5-6.
. Id. at pp. 6-7 (citing Prest v. Louisiana Citizens Prop. Ins. Corp., No. 12-0513 (La.12/4/12); 125 So.3d 1079, 1092-93).
. Id. at p. 6.
. Id. at pp. 4-5.
. Id. at p. 9 (citing “Responses of Nola Ventures LLC, Nola Restaurant Group LLC and Critical Mass Holdings LLC to Second Set of Interrogatories and Requests for Production Propounded by Upshaw Insurance Agency, Inc. and Robert Bryan Bentley” at p. 2).
. Id. at pp. 8-9 (citing Prest v. Louisiana Citizens Prop. Ins. Corp., 12-0513 (La.12/4/12); 125 So.3d 1079, 1092-93).
. Id. at pp. 7-8.
. Id. at p. 5.
. Id. at p. 10.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 11 (citing Prest v. Louisiana Citizens Prop. Ins. Corp., 12-0513 (La.12/4/12); 125 So.3d 1079).
. Id. (citing Univ. Computing Co. v. Lykes-Youngstown Corp., 504 F.2d 518, 546 (5th Cir. 1974)).
. Id. at p. 12 (citing Boudreaux report at p. 6).
. Id. at p. 13 (citing Boudreaux report at p. 6).
. Id. at p. 14.
. Id. at p. 15 (citing Boudreaux report at p. 13).
. Id. at p. 16.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 17 (citing Bienvenu deposition at p. 217).
. Id.
. Id. at p. 1.
. Id. at pp. 18-19 (citing Ashley deposition at p. 229, 260-261).
. Id. (citing Bienvenu affidavit).
. Id. (citing Boudreaux report at p. 9).
. Id. at p. 19.
. Id.
. Id. at pp. 20-21.
. Id. at p. 21.
. Id. at p. 20.
. Id. (noting further that "its members are not the same. NOLA Ventures is owned by its members who are Paul Albert Bienvenu IV and Christopher Scott Bastion. Critical Mass Holdings, LLC is owned by Christopher Scott Bastion and Terra Firma Holdings, LLC, an LLC owned by members Paul Albert Bien-venu IV and by Mr. Bienvenu in his capacity as trustee of the PAB Trust No. 1.”). Id.
. Id. (citing Bienvenu deposition at p. 204).
. Id. (citing Bienvenu deposition at p. 217).
. Id. at p. 21-22 (citing Rec. Doc. 87).
. Rec. Doc. 87 at p. 2.
. Id. at 2-3.
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 24.
. Rec. Doc. 99 at p. 5.
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 22.
. Id. (citing Prest v. Louisiana Citizens Prop. Ins. Corp., 12-0513 (La.12/4/12); 125 So.3d 1079, 1092-93).
. Rec. Doc. 115 at p. 2.
. Id. at p. 4 (citing Prest, 125 So.3d at 1092-93).
. Id. at p. 5.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 7.
. Id.
. Id. atp. 8.
. Id. at p. 7.
. Id. at p. 8.
. Id. at p. 9.
. Id.
. Rec. Doc. 193.
. Id. at p. 3. It is unclear why Defendants consider Plaintiffs' alleged October 25, 2013 production of the original leases to be problematic.
. Id. (emphasis in original).
. Id. (emphasis in original).
. Id. at p. 3-4 (citing Scenic Galveston, Inc. v. Infinity Outdoor, Inc., 151 F.Supp.2d 812, 817 (S.D.Tex. 2001); Thompson v. First Am. Nat’l Bank, 19 So.3d 784, 787 (Miss.Ct.App. 2009); Executive Towers v. Leonard, 7 Ariz. App. 331, 439 P.2d 303, 304-05 (1968) for the proposition that if the original contract was required to be in writing, an oral amendment reducing the amount of rent was not enforceable).
. Id. at p. 5 (citing Rec. Doc. 193, Attachments B-M) (citing In re: Timely Secretarial Service, Inc., 987 F.2d 1167 (5th Cir. 1993)).
. Id. at p. 6.
. Id.
. Id. (citing Davis v. Avenue Plaza LLC, 2000-0226 (La.App. 4 Cir. 12/27/00) 778 So.2d 613; La. Civ.Code Ann. art. 1839).
. Id. at p. 2.
. Id. (citing Rec. Doc. 99-9).
. Id.
. Id. at p. 7-8 (citing Rec. Doc. 96).
. Id. at p. 8.
. Id. (citing Rec. Doc. 99-7, 99-8). Defendants fail to cite record document numbers for where plaintiffs allegedly "withdrew” Exhibits 95 and 105 from the record.
. Id. at p. 9.
. Id. at p. 9-10.
. Rec. Doc. 219 at p. 2-3 (citing Rec. Doc. 205 at p. 4-6).
. Id. at p. 3.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 4. (citing Davis v. Freeman, 347 S.W.2d 650, 654-55 (Tex.Civ.App. 1961); Davis v. Stegall, 246 Miss. 593, 151 So.2d 813, 815 (1963); Brought v. Howard, 30 Ariz. 522, 249 P. 76, 80 (1926); Scott v. Ranch Roy-L, Inc., 182 S.W.3d 627, 634 (Mo.Ct.App. 2005)). Plaintiffs do not cite a Louisiana case to support their argument.
. Id. at p. 7 (citing Am. Garment Properties, Inc. v. CB Richard Ellis-El Paso, LLC, 155 S.W.3d 431, 435 (Tex.App. 2004); Eastline Corp. v. Marion Apartments, Ltd., 524 So.2d 582, 584 (Miss. 1988); Karno v. Joseph Fein Caterer, Inc., 2002-1269 (La.App. 4 Cir. 4/16/03), 846 So.2d 105, 108; O’Malley Inv. & Realty Co. v. Trimble, 5 Ariz.App. 10, 422 P.2d 740, 747 (1967); Rufkahr Const. Co. v. Weber, 658 S.W.2d 489, 498 (Mo.Ct.App. 1983)).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a); see also Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Little v. Liquid Air Corp., 37 F.3d 1069, 1075 (5th Cir. 1994).
. Delta & Pine Land Co. v. Nationwide Agribusiness Ins. Co., 530 F.3d 395, 398-99 (5th Cir. 2008).
. Galindo v. Precision Am. Corp., 754 F.2d 1212, 1216 (5th Cir. 1985); Little, 37 F.3d at 1075.
. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio, 475 U.S. 574, 586, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986).
. See, e.g., Celotex, 477 U.S. at 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548; Ragas v. Tenn. Gas Pipeline Co., 136 F.3d 455, 458 (5th Cir. 1998).
. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548.
. Forsyth v. Barr, 19 F.3d 1527, 1537 (5th Cir. 1994), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 871, 115 S.Ct. 195, 130 L.Ed.2d 127 (1994).
. Bellard v. Gautreaux, 675 F.3d 454, 460 (5th Cir. 2012), citing Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242 at 248-49, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).
. Little, 37 F.3d at 1075.
. Smith v. Amedisys, 298 F.3d 434, 440 (5th Cir. 2002).
. In re Whitaker Const. Co. Inc., 411 F.3d 197, 209 n. 4 (5th Cir. 2005) (citing Erie R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 58 S.Ct. 817, 82 L.Ed. 1188 (1938)).
. Id.
. Rec. Doc. 70-3 at p. 7. Specifically, Plaintiffs contend that Defendants owe CMH the difference between the lease value of $738,450 (representing the entirety of the NOLA lease) and the land’s sale price of $112,425. Id.
. Prest v. Louisiana Citizens Prop. Ins. Corp., 2012-0513 (La.12/4/12), 125 So.3d 1079, 1088 (citations omitted).
. Bozeman v. State, 2003-1016 (La.7/2/04), 879 So.2d 692, 698 (citations omitted).
. Rec. Doc. 72-3 at p. 2-3.
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 6.
. King v. Univ. Healthcare Sys., L.C., 645 F.3d 713, 719 (5th Cir. 2011) (citing La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 1848).
. Id. (citing La. Civ.Code Ann. art. 1848).
. Id. (citing Omnitech Int’l, Inc. v. Clorox Co., 11 F.3d 1316, 1328 (5th Cir. 1994)).
. Kennedy Marr Offshore Singapore Pte Ltd. v. Techcrane Int’l Inc., No. 12-1985, 2013 WL 3283343 (E.D.La. June 27, 2013), appeal dismissed (Feb. 4, 2014) (Affrick, J.).
. Id. (citing Pelican Elec. Contractors v. Neumeyer, 419 So.2d 1, 5 (La.Ct.App. 4 Cir. 1982)).
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 21.
. Galindo v. Precision Am. Corp., 754 F.2d 1212, 1216 (5th Cir. 1985) (quotation marks omitted); Little, 37 F.3d at 1075.
. Id. at p. 10.
. United States v. Smith, 355 F.2d 807, 809 (5th Cir. 1966).
. Id.
. Achee v. Nat’l Tea Co., 95-2556 (La.App. 1 Cir. 12/20/96), 686 So.2d 121.
. Id. at 125.
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 13 (citing Boudreaux report at p. 6).
. Id. at p. 12 (citing Boudreaux report at p. 6).
. Moore v. Int’l Paint, LLC, 547 Fed.Appx. 513, 516 (5th Cir. 2013).
. Id.
. Arnold v. Canal Barge Co., No. 13-4966, 2014 WL 2465313 (E.D.La. June 2, 2014).
. Willis v. Noble Drilling (US), Inc., No. 11-598 (La.App. 5 Cir. 11/13/12), 105 So.3d 828, 843, citing Fogle v. Feazel, 201 La. 899, 10 So.2d 695, 698 (1942).
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 157 (citing Bienvenu deposition at p. 217).
. Bienvenu deposition at p. 206-07.
. Rec. Doc. 70-3 at p. 8.
. Id. at p. 12.
. Id. (citing Boudreaux deposition at p. 110-111; 51).
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 18.
. Moore, 547 Fed.Appx. at 516.
. Id.
. Arnold v. Canal Barge Co., 13-4966, 2014 WL 2465313 (E.D.La. June 2, 2014).
. Rec. Doc. 70-3 at p. 13.
. Id. atp. 9.
. Id.; Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 19.
. Rec. Doc. 70-3 atp. 13.
. The Parties do not appear to dispute that CMH did not own the Range Line property and therefore cannot recover for its loss.
. Rec. Doc. 72-3 atp. 15, 17.
. Rec. Doc. 96 at p. 19 (citing Bienvenu deposition at p. 207).
. Rec. Doc. 70-3 at p. 10.
. Rec. Doc. 96. at p. 5.
. Rec. Doc. 219 at p. 1.
. Id. at p. 3.
. Rec. Doc. 72-3 atp. 19.
. Rec. Doc. 87 at p. 2-3.
.Rec. Doc. 193 at p. 9-10.
. Rec. Doc. 72-3 at p. 23-24.
. Id. at p. 24.
. See Rec. Doc. 229.
. Rec. Doc. 72-3 at p. 20 (citing Bradley v. Allstate Ins. Co., 620 F.3d 509 (5th Cir. 2010)).
. Id. at p. 22.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- NOLA VENTURES, LLC v. UPSHAW INSURANCE AGENCY, INC.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published