Opinion ID: 1803833
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Damages: Loss of Wages

Text: LSUHSC and Dr. Stucker contend the record does not support the appellate court's conclusion they should be responsible for Dr. Driscoll's loss of employment at the Minden Medical Center. [12] Their argument is twofold: First, they contend Dr. Driscoll was only inclined to accept the offer from the Minden Medical Center. Secondly, they argue Dr. Driscoll failed to mitigate his damages by not even attempting to seek temporary staff privileges. The trial court is accorded broad discretion in assessing awards for lost earnings, but there must be a factual basis in the record for the award. Quinn v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 34,280 (La.App.2 Cir.12/06/00), 774 So.2d 1093, writ denied, 01-0026 (La.3/9/01), 786 So.2d 735. A plaintiff bears the burden of proving his claim for lost earnings. Collins v. Shelter Mutual Ins. Co., 36,528 (La.App.2 Cir.12/11/02), 833 So.2d 1166, writ denied, 03-0124 (La.03/24/03), 840 So.2d 539. For purposes of determining damages, the amount of lost earnings need not be proved with mathematical certainty, but by such proof as reasonably establishes the claim, and such proof may consist only of the plaintiff's own testimony. Jordan v. Travelers Ins. Co., 257 La. 995, 245 So.2d 151 (1971); Bruce v. State Farm Ins. Co., 37,704 (La. App.2 Cir 10/29/03), 859 So.2d 296; Clark v. Ark-La-Tex Auction, Inc., 593 So.2d 870 (La.App. 2 Cir.1992), writ denied, 596 So.2d 210 (La.1992). Reasonable certainty is the standard. Finley v. Bass, 478 So.2d 608 (La.App. 2 Cir.1985). Taking the assertions of LSUHSC and Dr. Stucker in reverse order, we find no evidence to preponderate that Dr. Driscoll failed to mitigate his damages by not seeking temporary staff privileges until there was a resolution of his board eligibility. The evidence is uncontradicted and Dr. Stucker agreed that all hospitals in the Shreveport area required a physician to be board eligible to become a member of the staff. In addition, defense counsel agreed not to enter various hospital bylaws into the record, recognizing that these hospital bylaws require board eligibility to obtain staff privileges as a minimum requirement. At the time Dr. Stucker revoked his letter of recommendation, Dr. Driscoll had temporary staff privileges at the Minden Medical Clinic only because he was board eligible at that time. Thus, we find no factual support for this argument. As to the first contention of LSUHSC and Dr. Stucker, the record shows Dr. Driscoll forthrightly answered that he was contemplating the offer of the Minden Medical Center to practice otolaryngology for three years at an annual salary of $360,000. LSUHSC and Dr. Stucker neither offered other evidence that this offer was not tendered nor refuted the testimony that Dr. Driscoll offered from William T. Baldwin, Ph.D., an expert economist, that used that offer as one of the elements for his calculations. Baldwin testified his estimation of Dr. Driscoll's loss of wages amounted to $1,363,346. He based his calculation on his understanding that Dr. Driscoll's ultimate professional goal was certification as a plastic surgeon. For Dr. Driscoll to obtain that certification, he had to first become board certified in otolaryngology. When LSUHSC and Dr. Stucker withdrew the recommendation, their action foreclosed that possibility and lengthened the time Dr. Driscoll could resume that career goal. Faced with this evidence, the trial court evaluated the lay and expert testimony, lessened the amount of lost wages because Dr. Driscoll still had a Louisiana license to practice medicine and could have earned money in that profession, and awarded lost wages of $780,000. On appellate review, the reviewing court reduced the trial court's award, finding Dr. Driscoll's one year fellowship in plastic surgery (between November 2000 and November 2001) mitigated his damages for that period because this aided him in reaching his ultimate professional goal as a plastic surgeon. However, it found from December 2001, when Dr. Driscoll's fellowship ended, and May 30, 2003, when LSUHSC re-certified him as board eligible to take the examination in otolaryngology, he was entitled to damages for lost wages of $540,000. After carefully reviewing the record, we find no manifest error in the appellate court's analysis. Having a range of damages from which to choose, its assessment of $540,000 for loss of wages is reasonable and no abuse of discretion is discerned.