Feygina v. Hallmark Health Sys. (Summary)

PHYSICIAN CONTRACT

Feygina v. Hallmark Health Sys., No. MICV2011-03449 (Mass. Super. Ct. July 12, 2013)

The Superior Court of Massachusetts held that a physician who was attempting to recover unpaid wages was entitled to treble damages but refused to award additional compensation for prejudgment interest or increased income tax liability. The court stated that the corporation still owed the physician additional managed care payments. These damages were trebled in accordance with the state wage act. The court explained that trebling the amount is compensatory, not punitive in nature. The court rejected the corporation’s claim that it was protected by a statutory hospital exception because the corporation only had affiliations with hospitals; it was not a hospital itself. Based on this trebled award, the court stated that it would be “double counting” to allow the physician to receive additional compensation based on increased income tax liability.