Opinion ID: 1654936
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Lost Patients

Text: Although the use of Copeland's certificate is not, in a strict sense, a customer contact, it was an essential element to Integrity's ability to enter the market and to compete with Oxford for its patients. The certificate was particular to Copeland and was obtained while working for Oxford. Use of Copeland's certificate allowed Integrity to enter the market and to compete with Oxford sooner than would have been possible otherwise. Use of the certificate was combined with Integrity's recruitment of Oxford employees to obtain Oxford patients. Any patients obtained by Integrity from Oxford during this period necessarily and directly resulted from the use of the certificate. In this situation, by allowing Integrity to use the certificate, Copeland unfairly competed with Oxford and breached the non-compete agreement. Oxford is entitled to damages for the loss of any patient who left Oxford in favor of Integrity during the time that Integrity relied on Copeland's certificate, assuming such damages are proven. The trial court's judgment on this issue is reversed, and the case is remanded. On remand, the court can determine the damages incurred between February 4, 2000, and July 3, 2000, relative to any patients Oxford lost to Integrity.