1 ... T e x . C i v . P ra c . &R e m . C o d eA n n . § 7 4 .3 5 1 (V e rn o n S u p p . 2 0 0 8 ). 

## COURT OFAPPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOF TEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 08 - 30 3- CV M I KE NORG AA RD, L PC AN D APPE L L AN TS R I V ER BE N D BE H A V I O R I A L HE AL T HC AR E AS S OCI AT E S , P . A. V . C H ERY L L O C KE PI N G EL A PPELL EE

----- ----- -- FR O M THE 3 42ND D I STRI CT CO URT O F TARRA NT CO UN TY

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----- ----- -- A p p e l l a n tsM i k e N o rg a a rd , L P C a n d R i v e rb e n d B e h a v i o ra l H e a l th c a re A ssoci at es, P. A . appeal f r om t he t r i al court ’ s deni al of t hei r m ot i on t o di sm i ss A ppel l ee C her yl Locke Pi ngel ’ s cl ai m s agai nstt hem . Bec a u se w e hol d t hat Pi nge l w asr equ i r ed to pr ovi de an exp ertr epo rti n c om pl i anc e w i t h s ec t i on 74 . 35 1 o ft he T exas C i vi l Pr act i ce and R em edi es C ode, 1 w e r ever se.2

N or gaar d i s a l i censed pr of essi onal counsel or( “LPC ”) . Ri ver bend i s a pr of es si ona l as so ci at i on ofl i ce ns ed pr of es si ona l co uns el or s t hatem pl oys N or gaa r d. O n Jul y 30 , 20 05 , Pi ngel w entt o H ar r i s M et hod i stSo u thw estH ospi t al ( “t he hos pi t al ”) co m pl ai ni ng ofab dom i nalpa i n a nd v om i t i ng. W hi l e a tt he hospi t al , she al so com pl ai ned of a l oss of contr ol and j er ki ng m ovem ent s ofher r i ght ar m and l eg. She w as ul t i m at el y di schar ged w i t h m edi cat i on f orher abdo m i nal sym pt om s aft ert he exam i ni ng doctord et er m i ned t hath erabdom i nal s y m p to m sw e re“ o f u n c e rta i n e ti o l o g y .” O n A ugu st 4, 20 05 , Pi ngel r et ur ned t o t he hospi t al com pl ai ni ng t hather sym pt om s had w or sened and t hatshe h a d devel oped headaches and w as havi ng t r oub l e speaki ng and ex pr essi ng herthough t s. A doct orexam i ned her and or der ed sever al t est s. A s part ofPi ngel ’ s exam i nat i on, N or gaar d per f or m ed a c ons ul t at i on, co nduc t i ng a psyc hi at r i c and c hem i ca l de pen den cy sc r ee ni ng of her . Thi s screen i ng i ncl ude d e val uat i ng he rm em ory a nd s pee ch. The e xa m i ni ng do c t or , Dr . Coc hr um , ul t i m a t e l y a s s e s s e d he r c on di t i on as a “neur ol ogi cal spel l ” ofunkno w n or i gi n and sentPi ngel hom e. Pi ngel subsequentl y f i l ed sui tagai nstN or gaar d and R i ver bend , as w el l as var i ous hospi t al d oct or s and n ur ses, aft ershe exper i enced a st r oke and suf f er ed br ai n dam age. N or gaar d and R i ver bend f i l ed a m ot i on t o di sm i ss w hen P i ngel2 ... SeeT e x . C i v . P ra c . & R e m . C o d eA n n . § 5 1 .0 1 4 (a )(9 ) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 8 ),

§ 7 4 .3 5 1 (b ).

3 ... Moore v. Gati

ca , 2 6 9 S .W .3 d 1 3 4 , 1 3 9 ( T e x . A p p .— F o rtW o rt h 2 0 0 8 , p e t. d e n i e d ).

4 ... D owner

v. A quam ar

i ne Operators, I

nc. , 701 S . W . 2d 238, 241– 42 (T e x . 1 9 8 5 ), cert. denied, 4 7 6 U .S . 1 1 5 9 (1 9 8 6 ). 3 di d not serve t hem w i t h an expertreportw i t hi n t he st at ut or y deadl i ne pr ovi ded by s ec t i on 7 4 . 351 . The t r i alco urtde ni ed t he m ot i on, an d Nor gaa r d a nd R iv e r b e n d b r o u g h tt h isa p p e a l. 2 W e rev i e w for a b u se o f disc reti o n a t ria l c o u rt ’s d e n i a l o f a m o ti o n to di s m i s sund e rse c t i on 74. 351. 3 T o d e term i n e w h e th e r a tr i a l co u rtab u se d i ts d i sc reti o n , w e m u st d e c i d e w h e th e r th e tr i a l c o u rt a c ted w i th o u t r e fere n c e to any gu i di ng r ul es orpr i nci pl es; i n ot herw or ds, w e m ustdeci de w het hert he act
w as ar bi t r ary orunr easonabl e. 4 In th e i r s o l e i s s u e , N o rg a a rd a n d R i v e rb e n d a rg u eth a t th etri a l c o u rt a b u se d it s d i sc reti o n b yd e n y i n g the i r m o ti o n to d i sm i ss b e c a u se the yare h e a l th car e pr ovi der s, and t her ef or e Pi ngel w as r equi r ed t o serve an expertr eportas t o bot h Nor gaa r d a nd Ri ver ben d. Sec t i on 74. 351 r equ i r esa pl ai nt i f fas se rt i ng a h e a l th ca re l i a b i l i ty c l a im to se rve o n ea c h p a rt yo n eo r m o re e x p e rtrep o rt s f oreach physi ci an orheal t h car e pr ovi de r a g a i n stw hom t he pl ai nt i f fhas5 ... T e x . C i v . P ra c . &R e m . C o d eA n n . § 7 4 .3 5 1 (a ). 6 ... Id. § 7 4 .3 5 1 (b ). 7 ... Id. § 7 4 .0 0 1 (1 3 ) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 5 ). 8 ... Id. § 7 4 .0 0 1 (1 2 )(A ). 4 a s s e rt e d a c l a i m. 5I f , ast o a de f end antp hysi ci an orhe al t h c ar e p r ovi der , no expertr eporti s served w i t hi n 1 20 days aft ert he pl ai nt i f ff i l ed heror i gi nal p e ti ti o n , th e d e fe n d a n t m a ym o v eto d i s m i s s th e p l a i n ti ff’s c l a i m ; th etri a l c o u rt m us tgr antt hi s m ot i on. 6 A he al t h c ar e l i abi l i t y c l ai m i s a c l ai m “ aga i ns ta hea l t h c ar e p r ovi deror phys i ci an f ort r ea t m ent , l ac k o ft r ea t m ent , orot hercl ai m ed dep art ur e f r om ac ce pt ed st and ar dsofm edi ca l ca r e, orhe al t h c ar e, ors af et y orpr of es si ona l or a d m i n i strati v e se rvi c e s d i rec tl yrel a ted to h e a l th c a re, w h i c h p rox i m a tel yres u l ts i n i n j u ry to o r d e a th o f a c l a i m a n t.” 7The t er m “heal t h car e pr ovi der ” i ncl udes “a ny p er so n, pa rt ner sh i p, pr of es si ona l as so ci ati on , co r por at i on, f ac i l i t y, or i nst i t ut i on du l y l i censed, cert i f i ed, r egi st er ed, orch art er ed by t he S t at e o fTexas to p ro v i d e h e a l th c a re .” 8 I n he rpe t i t i on, Pi nge l doe s not app ea r t o que st i on t hats he i s as se rt i ng a heal t h car e l i abi l i t y cl ai m . H erp et i t i on begi ns b y st at i ng t hat“[ t ] hi s i s a m edi cal m al pr ac t i ceac t i on”an d t hats he i s see ki ng t o r ec ove rda m age s “a r i si ng f r om th e D e fe n d a n ts ’ m e d i c a l , n u rs i n g , a n d h e a l th c a red i a g n o s i s , a s s e s s m e n t, c a re5

and t r eat m ento fh erco ndi t i ons. ” N or gaar d and R i ver bend w er e i ncl uded i n her u s e o f th e te rm “ D e fe n d a n ts .” I n her speci f i c cl ai m s agai nstN or gaar d, Pi ngel al l eges t hatN or gaar d w as

“ n e g lig e n tin t h e [L P C ] d ia g n o s is , a s s e s s m e n t , c a r ea n d t r e a t m e n to f[P in g e l] i n t hat N or gaa r d f ai l ed t o m ee t t he r ea so nab l e, pr ude nt , an d a cc ept ed st and ar ds of[ LPC] an d/orhe al t h c ar e a ppl i ca bl e t o hi m . ” She al l ege s t hat asan LPC, he f ai l ed t o pr ovi de t i m el y, pr ope r , an d a deq uat e “ di agn os i s and as se ss m ent ” of h e r “i l l n e ss e s, i n j u ri e s, an d /or co n d i ti o n s.” S h efu rt h e r a l l e g e s th a t he fai l e d to p ro v i d e a d e q u a te L P C “ a n d /o r h e a l th c a re a s s e s s m e n t, te s ti n g , e v a l u a ti o n , c a re a n d /o r th e ra p yfo r h e r i l l n e s s e s , i n j u ri e s , a n d /o r c o n d i ti o n s .” A s f orR i ver bend , Pi ngel al l eges t hati tw as negl i gent i n t he “m edi cal and /orhe al t h c ar e d i agn os i s, as se ss m ent , ca r e a nd t r ea t m ent ” ofhe r . She as se rt ed t hati tw asvi ca r i ous l y l i abl e f ort he ac t s ofi t s em pl oye esorag ent s f or a f ai l ur e t o m ee ts t and ar dsof“ he al t h ca r e. ” She a l so as se rt s t hatRi ver ben d
w asdi r ec t l y l i abl e i n c onne ct i on w i t h he rdi agn os i s, as se ss m ent , t es t i ng, e v a l u a ti o n , c a re, an d tr e a tm e n t. A n d , fi n a l l y , P i n g e l a c k n o w l e d g e st h a t N o rg a a rd e v a l u a te d P i n g e l a fte r D r. C ochr um or der ed a consul t at i on, speci f i cal l y, a “psychi at r i c and ch e m i cal d e p e n d e n c ys c re e n in g e v a l u a ti o n a n d a s s e s s m e n t,”a n d th a t N o rg a a rd cond uc ted that scr eeni ng usi ng a “Psychi at r i c and C hem i cal D epend ency9 ... S e eDiver sic a reG en . Pa rtn er

, I n c . v. Rub io , 185 S. W . 3d 842, 848 ( Tex. 2005 ) ( “A cau seofac t i on a l l ege s a d epa rt ur e f r om accep t ed s t and ar ds ofm edi cal car e orheal t h car e i ft he acto r o m i ss i on com pl ai ned of i s an i n s e p a ra b l e p a rt o f th e re n d i ti o n o fm e d i c a l s e rv i c e s .” ); Ha rri sMe th o d

i s t F o rt Wo rthv. O llie , 270 S . W . 3d 720, 723 ( Tex. A pp. — Fort W ort h 200 8, pet . f i l ed) ( “I ft he ac torom i ss i on a l l ege d i n t he com pl ai nti s an i ns epa r abl e p artoft he re n d i ti o n o f h e a l th c a res e rv i c e s , th e n th ec l a i m i sa h e a l th c a rel i a b i l i tyc l a i m .” ).

10 ... T e x . C i v . P ra c . &R e m . C o d eA n n . § 7 4 .0 0 1 (1 2 )(A ). 6 S c re e n i n g a n d R e fe rra l F o rm .”A t th e h e a ri n g o n th em o ti o n to d i s m i s s , P i n g e l ’s att or neys t at ed t hatN or gaa r d “ sh oul d ha ve r ec ogni z ed t hat[ Pi nge l ] w asha vi ng som e under l yi ng pr obl em s t hath e co ul d not deal w i t h, an d she needed t o be r eeva l uat ed f urt herby t he m edi ca l doc t or s. ” The a ct s ofN or gaa r d i n a ss es si ng and ev al uat i ng Pi nge l w er e c l ea r l y a n i ns epa r abl e p artoft he r en di t i on of m edi ca l s ervi ce s t o Pi nge l on A ugus t 4, 200 5. Thus , Pi nge l ’ s cl ai m s bas ed on N o rga a rd’s a c ts o r o m i ss i o n s i n c o n d u c ti n g th es c ree n i n g are h e a l th ca re l i a b i l i ty cl ai m s. 9 D e s p it e t h e la n g u a g e u s e d in h e rp e t it io n , P in g e l a s s e rt st h a tN o r g a a r d is n o ta h e a l t h c a r e pr ov i de ra n d t h e r e f o r en o e x p e rtr e p o rtwa sn e c e s s a ry . As e x p l a in e d b e l o w , h o w e v e r, an LP C fi ts w i th i n the sta tu te’s d e fi n i ti o n o f a

“ h e a l th c a rep ro v i d e r.” T h e t e r m “ h e a lt h c a r e p r o v id e r ”isd e f in e d in s e c t io n 7 4 .0 0 1 o ft h e c iv il pr act i ce and r em edi es code. 10The defi ni t i ons i n t hatsect i on ar e som ew hat c i rcu l a r i n tha t “h e a l th ca re p rov ide r” i s e ss e n ti a l l yd e fi n e d as o n el i c e n se d to11 ... Id. 12 ... Id. § 7 4 .0 0 1 (1 0 ). 13 ... Id. § 7 4 .0 0 1 (1 2 )(B )(i i ). 14 ... See Brown v. V i l legas , 20 2 S . W . 3d 80 3, 80 6 ( Tex . A pp. — S an A nt oni o 2 00 6, no pet .) (hol di ng t hatl abor at or y coul d not r el y on st at us as i n d epend entcont r act ort o a doct ort o qual i f y as a heal t h car e pr ovi derw hen r ec or d di d notco nt ai n a ny e vi den cees t abl i sh i ng a n i nde pen den tco nt r ac t or re l a ti o n s h i p ).

15 ... Id. 7 p ro v i d e “ h e a lt h c a re ,” 11 an d “ hea l t h c ar e”i s def i ned asan ac tort r ea t m ent per f or m ed by a “heal t h car e p r ovi der ” du r i ng a p at i ent ’ s m edi cal car e. 12Sec t i on 74 . 00 1( 12 ) ( B) ( i i ) st at es t hatt he t er m “heal t h car e pr o v i d er ” i ncl udes “an em pl oye e, i nde pen den tco nt r ac t or , o ra ge ntofa hea l t h c ar e p r ovi deror physi ci an act i ng i n the cour se and scope oft he em pl oym entorcont r act ual re l a ti o n s h i p .” 13But nei t herpart y addr essed and the r ecor d does not est abl i sh N or gaa r d’ s r el ati ons hi p w i t h t he hos pi t alorD r . Cochr um , s o w e c ann ot de t er m i ne i fN or gaa r d f i t s w i t hi n t hatpa rtoft he def i ni t i on. 14 Tu r n i n g t o t he ano t herpa rtoft he def i ni t i on, w e f i nd som e gui dan cef r om t he i ncl us i on oft he
w or ds “l i censed, cert i f i ed, orr egi st er ed orchart er ed . . . t o pr ovi de heal t h car e” i n th e d e fi n i ti o n o f “ h e a l th c a rep ro v i d e r.” 1516 ... T e x . O c c . C o d eA n n . § 5 0 3 .3 0 1 (V e rn o n 2 0 0 4 ). 17 ... Id. § 5 0 3 .0 0 3 (a ) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 4 ). 18 ... Id. § 5 0 3 .0 0 3 (b )(4 ). 19 ... Id. § 5 0 3 .0 0 3 (b )(1 ). 20 ... Id. § 5 0 3 .0 0 3 (b )(4 )(C ) (e m p h a s i sa d d e d ). 8 The St at e of T ex asr equ i r esLPCs t o bel i ce ns ed. 16By s t at ut e, t he pr ac t i ceofan LPC i ncl ude s t he pl ann i ng , i m pl em ent i ng, an d e val uat i on of t r ea t m entpl ansus i ng “ cou ns el i ng t r ea t m enti nt erven t i ons”t hati ncl ude cou ns el i ng, as se ss m ent , an d c ons ul t i ng. 17The t er m “ cou ns el i ng t r ea t m ent i nt erven t i on”ex pr es sl y “ doe s notper m i tori ncl udet he di agn os i s ort r ea t m ent o f a p h y s i c a l c o n d i ti o n o r d i s o rd e r.” 18The t er m “ass essm ent ” expr essl y does n o t p e rm i t “ th e d i a g n o s i so f a p h y s i c a l c o n d i ti o n o r d i s o rd e r.” 19Thus , an LPC m a yn o t d i a g nose ort r eata physical c o n d i ti o n o r d i s o rd e r. B u t th ete rm “c ouns el i ng t r ea t m ent i nt erven t i on” doe s i ncl ude “t he as se ss m ent , ev al uat i on, and t r eat m entofa per son w i t h a m ental, em oti onal, o r behavioral

d i s o rd e r.” 20 A nd t he st at ut e e xpr es sl y pr ovi dest hatan LPC’ s pr ac t i cem ayi nc l ude t he pr eve nt i on, as se ss m ent , ev al uat i on, an d t r ea t m entof“ m ent al , em oti on al , or beha vi or a l d i s or de r sa nd a s s oc i a t e d di s t r e s s e st ha ti nt e r f e r ew i t h m e nt al21 ... Id. § 5 0 3 .0 0 3 (a )(2 ). 22 ... Id. § 5 0 3 .0 0 3 (b )(4 )(C ). 23 ... See i

d. § 151 . 002 ( 13) ( V er non Supp . 2008 ) ( def i ni ng “ pr ac t i ci ng m edi ci ne” t o i ncl ude “t he di agno si s, t r eat m ent , oroffer to tr eata m ental or p h ysic a l di se as e o rdi so r der ”) ( em pha si s add ed) ; Tex. H ea l t h & S af et y Code A nn. § 166. 002 ( 7) ( V er non S up p. 2008) ( r egu l at i ng a dva ncedi r ec t i vesan d def i ni ng “ hea l t h car e ort r ea t m entdeci si on”as“ con se nt , r ef us alt o c ons ent , or w i th d raw a l o f co n se n t t o h e a l th ca re, t rea tm e n t, se rvi c e , o r a p roc e d u re to m a i n t a i n , d i a g n o s e , o r tre a t a n i n d i v i d u a l ’sp h y s i c a l o r m e n ta l c o n d i ti o n ” ); Diversi c a re , 1 8 5 S .W .3 d a t 8 5 0 (no ti n g tha t he a l th ca re s taff m a k ej u d g m e n ts abou tt he car e, tr eat m ent , an d pr ot ect i on ofpat i ent s “based on t he m ental an d physical

c a reth e p a ti e n tsre q u i re ” ) (e m p h a s i sa d d e d ). 24 ... SeeT e x . C i v . P ra c . &R e m . C o d eA n n . § 7 4 .0 0 1 (1 0 ). 25 ... SeeTex. O cc . Code Ann. § 503. 003 ( a) ( 2) ( i ncl udi ng w i t hi n t he def i ni t i on of“ pr ac t i ceofpr of es si ona l co uns el i ng”t he as se ss m entan d eval uat i on of “m ent al , e m o ti onal , orbehavi or al di sor der s and associ at ed d i s tre s s e sth a t i n te rfe rew i th m e n ta l h e a l th ” ). 9 h e a l th .” 21 T hu s, a n L PC m ay eva l uat e a nd t r ea ta m ent al , em ot i ona l , or b e h a v i o ra l , b u t n o t p h y s i c a l , d i s o rd e r. 22 H eal t h car e i ncl udes t he car e ofm ent al condi t i ons. 23 B e c a u s eL P C sa re l i censed t o t r eat m ent al or em ot i onal cond i t i ons t hat i nt er f er e w i t h m ent al h e a l th , a n d a re th e re fo re l i c e n s e d to p ro v i d eh e a l th c a re , L P C sa reh e a l th c a re pr ovi der s undert he st at ut e. 24 B e c a u s e P in g e l’s s u it in v o lv e s a n L P C a c t in g in hi s ca pac i t y a s a h ea l t h c ar e prov i de r , s pec i f i ca l l y i n hi s ps ych i at r i c a nd c h e m i c a l d e p e n d e n c y a s s e s s m e n t a n d e v a l u a ti o n o f h e r, 25P i ngel w as r equi r ed26 ... See T e x . C i v . P ra c . &R e m . C o d eA n n . § 7 4 .3 5 1 (b ). 27 ... See id . 28 ... Grac ev. Co l

o rito , 4 S .W .3 d 7 6 5 , 7 6 9 ( T e x . A p p .— A u sti n 1 9 9 9 , p e t. d e n i e d ).

29 ... See i

d. 30 ... See Chr

i stus Health v. Beal, 240 S. W . 3d 282 , 28 6 ( T ex. A p p .— H o u s to n [1 s t D i s t.] 2 0 0 7 , n o p e t.); Skloss v. Perez , N o. 01
- 08
- 00 48 4- C V , 20 09 W L 40 43 8, at*6 ( Tex . A pp. — H oust on [ 1stD i st . ] Jan 8 , 2 0 0 9 , n o p e t.) (m e m . o p .) (c o n c l u d i n g t h a t L P C d e fe n d a n t w a sa h e a l th c a re p ro v i d e r). 10 t o pr ovi de an exp ertr epo rtast o Nor gaa r d. 26Bec aus e s he f ai l ed t o do so , t he tr i a l co u rtab u s e d it s d i sc reti o n b yfai l i n g to g ran t N o rga a rd’s m o ti o n to di sm i ss. 27 W e re c o g n iz e t h a tt h e A u s t i n C o u rto fA p p e a lsh a sh e ld t h a ta n L P C is n o t a “ h e a l th c a rep ro v i d e r.” 28Butt hatca sear os e u nde rthe pr ede ce ss or st at ut e t o s ec t i on 74. 351 , an d t hats t at ut e a ppl i ed onl y t o t he pr ofess i ons s p e c i fi c a l l y n a m e d i n th e s ta tu te a s “ h e a l th c a r e p ro v i d e r[s ].” 29Undert he cur r entve r si on oft he st at ut e, t he l i stofpr of es si onsex pr es sl y i ncl ude d i n t he d e fi ni t i on of “heal t h car e pr ovi der ” i s nonexcl usi ve. 30A c c o rd i n g l y , Graceis i napp l i cabl e her e. A s f orR i ver ben d, Pi nge l ’ s cl ai m s al l eget hati tw asbot h di r ec t l y a nd vi car i ousl y l i abl e f ori t s negl i gence i n t he “m edi cal an d/ orheal t h car e” di agno si s,31 ... Compare I n re McA l

len Med. C tr. , I

nc. , 275 S. W . 3d 458, 463– 64 ( Tex. 2008 ) ( st at i ng t hatvi ca r i ousl i abi l i t y c l ai m ag ai ns thos pi t alba se d on doc t or ’ s ac t i ng a s age ntof hos pi t alw asvi abl e o nl y i fdoc t orw asne gl i gen t , an d th u sth e c l a i m h a d to b e s u p p o rte d b ya n e x p e rt re p o rt), withUniv. o f T ex . S w. Me d. C tr. v. D a le , 1 8 8 S .W .3 d 8 7 7 , 8 7 9 (T e x . A p p .— D a l l a s2 0 0 6 , n o p e t.) (ho l d i n g tha t e x p e rtrep o rti s s u ffi c i e n t as to h o sp i tal i f i t i s s u ffi c i e n t as to r e s id e n tp h y s ic ia n sb e c a u s e p la in t if f ’s c la im ss o u g h tt o h o ld h o s p it a l v ic a r io u s ly l i a b l e fo r a c ti o n so f re s i d e n t p h y s i c i a n s ).

32 ... See Tex. Ci v. Pr ac . &Rem . C od e A nn. § 74. 001 ( 12) ( A ) ( pr ovi di ng th a t te rm “ h e a l th c a rep ro v i d e r”i n c l u d e s“ a n y. . . p ro fe s s i o n a l a s s o c i a ti o n . . . r e g is t e r e d . . . to p ro v i d e h e a l th c a re ” ); se e al so T e x . R e v . C i v . S tat. art. 152 8f , §2( B) ( 2) , ( 3) ( aut hor i z i ng t he f or m at i on ofa pr of es si ona l as so ci at i on by physi ci ans and by “[ p] rofe ss i onal s, ot hert han ph ysi ci ans, engaged i n r el at ed m ent al heal t h f i el ds such as psychol ogy, cl i ni ca l soci al w or k, l i censed pr of essi onal counsel i ng, and l i censed m ar r i age and f am i l y t her apy”) ; Tex. Bu s. O r gs. C ode A nn. § 3 01 . 00 3( 2) A ) ( V er non 20 08 ) ( def i ni ng “pr of essi onal 11 asses sm ent , and t r eat m entofher . W i t h r espectt o herv i car i ous l i abi l i t y cl ai m s, P i n g e l a l l e g e sth a t R i v e rb e n d i sl i a b l efo r th ea c t s o fit s“ s h a re h o l d e r(s ), di r ec t or ( s) , orof f i ce r ( s) orem pl oye e( s) or age nt ( s) ors ervan t ( s) ” ac t i ng i n t he c o u r s e a n d s c o p e o ft h e ir“ a p p lic a b lec a p a c it ie s . ” N o r g a a r d w a st h eo n ly per son associ at ed w i t h R i ver be n d speci f i cal l y nam ed by P i ngel . But because t he cl ai m s agai nstN or gaar d shoul d have been di sm i ssed f orf ai l ur e t o f i l e an e x p e rt re p o rt, a n yc l a i m h o l d i n g R i v e rb e n d v i c a ri o u s l yl i a b l efo r N o rg a a rd ’s a c t io n ss h o u ld h a v eb e e n d is m is s e d a sw e ll. 31 A sfo r h e r d i re c t l i a b i l i tyc l a i m s , th o s ec l a im s , t o o , re q u i re d a n e x p e rt re p o rt. Ap ro fe s s i o n a l a s s o c i a ti o n fi tsw i th i n th ed e fi n i ti o n o f a h e a l th c a re p ro v i d e r. 32I n t hi s case, Pi ngel al l eges t hatRi ve rben d i s a pr of essi onalas so ci at i on”asan as so ci at i on f or m ed t o pr ovi de the s er vi ce s of“ a d oct orof

m e d i c i n e , d o c to r o f o s te o p a th y , d o c to r o f p o d i a try , d e n ti s t, c h ir o p ra c to r, o p to m e tr i st, t h e rap e u ti c o p to m e tr i st, ve teri n a ri a n , o r l i c e n se d m e n tal h e a l th p ro fe s s i o n a l ” ).

33 ... SeeTe x. Occ . Cod e Ann §§ 5 03. 001, 503. 301. 34 ... See T e x . C i v . P ra c . &R e m . C o d eA n n . § 7 4 .0 0 1 (1 2 )(A ). 35 ... See i

d. § 7 4 .0 0 1 (1 0 ). 36 ... Id. § 7 4 .3 5 1 (a ); see al soCtr. For

Neurol ogi cal Di so rders, P. A . v. G eor ge , 2 6 1 S .W .3 d 2 8 5 , 2 9 4(T e x . A p p .— F o rt W o rth 2 0 0 8 , p e t. d e n i e d ). 37 ... T e x . C i v . P ra c . &R e m . C o d eA n n § 7 4 .3 5 1 (b ). 12 associ at i on of LPC s, and LPC s ar e l i censed m ent al h eal t h pr of essi onal s. 33 L P C s a reh e a l th c a rep ro v i d e rs , a n d th e re fo reR i v e rb e n d i sa h e a l th c a rep ro v i d e r. 34 Furt her m or e, Pi nge l ha s as se rt ed hea l t h ca r e l i abi l i t y cl ai m s aga i ns tRi ver ben d by a l l egi ng t hati t“ f ai l ed t o t i m el y, pr ope r l y, s af el y, orad equ at el y go ver n or su pervi set he qua l i t y of m edi ca l and he al t h c ar e s ervi ce s t o a nd f or ” Pi nge l an d t hati tdepart ed f r om “r easonabl e, p r uden tan d accept ed st andar ds ofl i censed p rofe ss i o n a l co u n se l o rs’ pro fes sion a l as so c i a ti o n ca re a n d /or h e a l th c a re” i n i ts “di agno si s, asses sm ent , t est i ng, eval uat i on, car e and t r eat m entof[ Pi ngel ’ s] i l l n e s s e s , in j u ri e s , a n d /o r c o n d i ti o n s .” 35Pi nge l t her ef or e w asr equ i r ed t o pr ovi de an exp ertr epo rtf oran y di r ec tl i abi l i t y c l ai m s as se rt ed aga i ns tRi ver ben d. 36 Beca us e s he di d notdo s o, the tr i al c ourtab us ed i t s di sc r et i on byde nyi ng R i ver bend ’ s m ot i on t o di sm i ss. 3738 ... See T e x . R . A p p . P . 3 8 .1 (i ). 39 ... See Tex. Ci v. Pr ac . & Rem . C ode A nn § 74. 351 ( a) ; Tex. R. A pp. P. 4 3 .3 ; I n re Doe , 19 S. W . 3d 24 9, 25 7 ( Tex . 20 00 ) ( r em andi ng i n t he i nt er est o f j u s ti c e w h e n c a s e i n v o l v e d m a tte r o f fi rs t i m p re s s i o n ); ScottBader , I nc. v. Sandstone Prods. , I

nc. , 2 4 8 S .W .3 d 8 0 2 , 8 2 2 (T e x . A p p .— H o u s to n [1 s t D i s t.] 20 08 , no pet . ) ( “A ppel l at e court s have br oad di scr et i on t o r em an d f ora new tri a l i n th e i n te re s t o f j u s ti c e .” ). 13 Pi nge l ar gue s i n he rbr i eft hatt he t r i alco urtprop erl y deni ed t he m ot i on t o di sm i ss because sect i on 74 . 35 1 vi ol at es her r i ghts und er both t he U ni t ed St at esConsti t uti on and t he Texa s C ons t i t ut i on. She f ai l s t o m ak e a ny a r g u m e n ta st o w h yt h i s s t a t u t eisu n c o n s t it u t io n a l a n d c it e sn o a u t h o r it yin su pport . A cc or di ngl y, w e o ver r ul e h erar gum entasi nad equ at el y br i ef ed. 38 W e sust ai n N or gaar d and R i ver bend ’ s sol e i sss ue. H avi ng sust ai ned N or gaar d and R i ver bend ’ s i ssue, w e rever se t he t r i al court ’ s det er m i nat i on t hat no expert r eport w as r equi r ed. H ow ever, b e c ause t hi s case i nvol ves a m att ero f fi rst i m pr essi on i n t hi s courtas w el l as an unset t l ed ar ea o fl aw , w e r em and t hi s case i n t he i nt er estofj ust i ce f ort he t r i al c o u rtto a l l o w P i n g e l to fi l e an ex p e rtrep o rt . 39

L E E AN N D AUP HI NOT J U S T I C E PA N EL: CA YC E, C. J. ; D A U PH I N O T and W A LKER, JJ.14

W A LKER, J. co ncu r s w i t houtopi ni on. DEL I VERE D: Aug us t31, 2009