Opinion ID: 2270622
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failure to Prove Damages and Injury

Text: Miller's next point on appeal is that the trial court erred in submitting Roleson's breach-of-contract and violation of Franchise Act claims to the jury because Roleson presented no evidence of damages. The gist of Miller's argument is that Roleson's claims involved Miller's interference with Roleson's right to purchase the Acquired Brands from Campbell. Miller contends that, because only 4% of the lost profits proven by Roleson resulted from failure to purchase the Acquired Brands, there were essentially no damages. We reject this argument. With regard to the Franchise Act violation, Roleson's damages were whatever amount the jury determined that Roleson lost as a result of Miller's actions. It is irrelevant that only 4% of Campbell's profits resulted from the sale of Miller brands; the jury was not limited by the lost profits from the purchase of Campbell's Miller brands. The jury could have concluded, and obviously did conclude, that Miller's violation of the Franchise Act prevented Roleson from purchasing all of Campbell's brands. Miller's next point on appeal is that the trial court erred in submitting each of Roleson's claims to the jury because Roleson failed to prove that an injury was caused by the alleged wrongful acts. Miller argues that because Roleson's lost-profit damages were based almost solely upon its failure to acquire Campbell, Roleson must have shown that but for Miller's wrongful conduct, it would have acquired Campbell. Miller argues that there is not substantial evidence to support this causation element, and we must therefore reverse the trial court's judgment on all claims. Again, we review the trial court's denial of a motion for directed verdict, denial of motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and denial of new-trial motion for whether there is substantial evidence to support the jury's verdict. State Auto Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Swaim, 338 Ark. 49, 991 S.W.2d 555 (1999); Mercantile Bank v. B & H Assoc., Inc., 330 Ark. 315, 954 S.W.2d 226 (1997). First, causation is a question of fact for the jury to decide. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Lee, 348 Ark, 707, 74 S.W.3d 634 (2002) The jury was free to believe Mr. Roleson's testimony regarding his negotiations with Campbell and discount Mr. Campbell's statements. In fact, our review requires us to review the evidence and all reasonable inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to Roleson. Swaim, supra . Roleson offered several letters between it and Campbell regarding the purchase, clearly indicating that the parties were in negotiations prior to Roleson's and Mr. O'Conner's meeting with Mr. Young in February. Indeed, it appears from the evidence that Mr. Campbell and Mr. Roleson continued negotiating after February. In fact, Mr. Campbell admitted that he could have had a telephone conversation in August with Mr. Roleson in which they agreed to a deal. The jury was free to infer that, absent Miller's involvement, this deal would have been set forth in a formal contract and closed. Mr. Bratcher testified that he did not know where Mr. O'Conner got the idea to buy Campbell's business, but that he advised Mr. O'Conner that it was a bad deal. Mr. O'Conner's decision to buy Campbell and his subsequent meeting with Mr. Campbell occurred within days of Mr. O'Conner's meeting with Mr. Young. Both Mr. Roleson and Mr. Holcomb testified that they were told at a national sales meeting in April that Miller's executives did not want Campbell to go to Roleson but to White River. The jury was free to believe the testimony and inferences therefrom that Miller instructed Mr. O'Conner to purchase Campbell and that, absent Miller's interference, Roleson and Campbell would have entered into a deal for the sale of Campbell's business to Roleson. Based upon the evidence presented, we hold that there is substantial evidence to support the jury's finding.