Opinion ID: 1136039
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The ISBA's Motion For Judgment N.O.V. On Bott's Claim For Compensation For The Interior Design Claim Was Properly Granted.

Text: At trial, Bott claimed $3,600.00 in damages for interior design fees. On cross-appeal, Bott argues that there is substantial evidence in the record to support the jury's verdict on this claim. The Agreement specifically classifies interior design services as additional services. Additional services, under the Agreement, are compensated on an hourly basis, with a $20,000.00 maximum payment for the interior design services. The parties do not dispute that the interior design services are considered additional services under the Agreement. Thus, in order for Bott to receive compensation for the interior design work it performed, Bott was required to keep records of the number of hours worked on the interior design. During trial Mr. Bott was asked how the $3,600.00 figure for Bott's interior design claim was calculated. In response, Mr. Bott testified that the $3,600.00 figure was merely an estimate of the work performed. Mr. Hoar testified at trial that time sheets were not kept for the interior design work performed by Bott. Absent any evidence of the number of hours worked on the interior design, there is no means of compensating Bott for these services. We conclude that there is no substantial evidence in the record to support Bott's claim for interior design services. Bott claims that it is excused from complying with the terms of the Agreement to keep time records. Bott asserts that it did not submit requests for payment for the interior work performed during the course of the project because the ISBA informed Bott that the interior construction work was no longer part of the project and that another interior designer would perform the interior design work. Bott claims that it submitted a request for payment for the interior design services after it discovered, during the lawsuit, that the ISBA had paid for the interior construction and had used Bott's designs. Thus, Bott claims that there is substantial evidence to support the jury's decision that Bott performed the interior design work and that Bott is excused from complying with the Agreement due to the ISBA's actions. Contrary to Bott's argument, it was not completely unknown to Bott that its designs were being used and that the interior construction was still being performed. During trial, Mr. Bott testified that Bott initially performed work on the interiors and that even after Bott was informed that the interior construction work was to be performed by another interior designer, Bott still implemented and corrected information on the interiors and performed work on some cabinet drawings. The dispute between the parties is not over when Bott filed for this claim, or why there was a delay in Bott's assertion of the claim. At issue is the lack of evidence of hourly work performed to support Bott's claim for the interior design services. Even for the services that were admittedly performed by Bott, there is no substantial evidence in the record of hourly work performed to support Bott's claim for the interior design services. Bott's claim for interior design work is not supported by substantial evidence. We conclude that judgment n.o.v. was proper on this issue.