IN THE

TENTH COURT OF APPEALS

No. 10-05-00067-CV

Catherine Tucker

                                                                      Appellant

 v.

John C. McConnell, M.D. and

Southwest Surgery Center,

                                                                      Appellees

From the 96th District Court

Tarrant County, Texas

Trial Court No. 96-204636-04

          Tucker failed to serve an expert report within the time period, 120 days after the claim was filed, as required by statute.  Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 74.351(a) (Vernon Supp. 2005).  The trial court dismissed Tucker’s claims against McDonnell and Southwest Surgery upon their motions to dismiss.  Tucker wanted the trial court, and now this Court, to create an exception to the deadline by granting her an extension for late filing if the late filing was “due to mistake/accident in calendaring the time deadline.”  The trial court properly declined to grant an extension.  We affirm the trial court’s decision.

          The statute requires that an expert report must be served within 120 days of the filing of the medical liability claim.  Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 74.351(a) (Vernon Supp. 2005).  There is an opportunity for one extension of 30 days in which to file a compliant report if a report that is served is determined to be a good faith but nevertheless deficient report.  Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 74.351(c) (Vernon Supp. 2005).  The statute provides no opportunity for an extension if no report is served within 120 days.  If no expert report is served, the trial court is required, upon the motion to dismiss of the defendant, to dismiss the case with prejudice.  Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 74.351(b) (Vernon Supp. 2005).  See Francis v. Select Specialty Hospital, No. 01-04-01186-CV, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 9097 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Nov. 3, 2005, no pet.); Vick v. Rangel, No. 04-05-00362-CV, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 8196 (Tex. App.—San Antonio Oct. 5, 2005, no pet.); Alvarado v. Alecozay, No. 06-05-00042-CV, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 7484 (Tex. App.—Texarkana Sept. 9, 2005, pet. denied); Mokkala v. Mead, 178 S.W.3d 66 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2005, pet. filed).

          The trial court did not err in granting the motions to dismiss of McConnell and Southwest Surgery Center.  Tucker’s issues are overruled.  The trial court’s judgment is affirmed.

                                                                   TOM GRAY

                                                                   Chief Justice

Before Chief Justice Gray,

          Justice Vance, and

          Justice Reyna

Affirmed

Opinion delivered and filed April 26, 2006

[CV06]