Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    1/25

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    12

    3

    14

    5

    16

    7

    8

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    nl

    25

    26

    w

    27

    KILPATRICK TOWNSEND STOCKTON LLP

    JON MICHAELSON (SBN 83815)

    BYRON CHIN (SBN 259846)

    1080 Marsh Road

    Menlo

    Park,

    CA 94025

    Telephone:

    650 326 24

    Facsimile: 650 326 2422

    Email: jmichaelson@kilpatri cktownsend.com

    [email protected]

    Attorneys for Plaintiff

    HUNTERI-1EART

    INC.

    SUPERIOR COURT OF

    THE STATE

    OF CALIFORNIA

    FOR THE

    COUNTY OF SANTA

    CLARA

    HUNTERHEART lNC., a Califomia corporation, Case No. 4 18 9 215 5

    Plaintiff,

    vs.

    BIO-REFERENCE LABORATORIES, INC.,

    a

    New Jersey Corporation, and DOES 1 through

    10

    inclusive,

    Defendants.

    COMPLAINT FOH.:

    (1) INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE

    WITH CONTRACTUAL

    RELATIONS;

    (2)

    INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE

    WITH PROSPECTIVE

    ECONOMIC

    ADVANTAGE;

    (3)

    RREACH

    OF CONTRACT;

    (4) BREACH OF

    THE

    IMPLIED

    COVENANT OF GOOD F AITH AND

    FAIR

    DEALING;

    5)

    VIOLATION OF

    UNFAIR RlJSINESS

    PRACTICES

    ACT [CALIFORNIA

    BUSINESS PROFESSIONS

    CODE

    17200, T SEQ.J;

    (6) VIOLATION OF FALSE

    ADVERTISING

    LAWS

    [CALIFORNIA

    BUSINESS PROFESSIONS CODE

    17500, T S Q];

    (7) VIOLATION OF

    CALIFORNIA

    BUSINESS PROFESSIONS CODE

    16600;

    (8)

    FRAUD;

    (9) TRADEMARK I.NFRINGEMENT rts

    u.s.c. ] 114];

    (10) FALSE

    MI.SLEADING

    DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN

    [15

    U.S.C.

    112S(a)(l)(A));

    (11) FALSE ADVERTISING

    UNDER THE

    LANHAM

    ACT

    115

    U.S.C.

    1125(a)(l)(B)l;

    (12) CONVERSION; AND

    (13) UNJUST ENRICHMENT

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    2/25

    1

    2

    3

    4

    Plaintiff

    HunterHeart

    Inc. ("HunterHeart") files this

    Complaint

    against Bio-Reference

    Laboratories, Inc. ( BRLI ) and

    demands

    a trial by jury.

    HunterHeart pleads

    as follows:

    JURISDICTION ND

    VENUE

    1.

    This

    Comt

    has

    jurisdiction over these claims

    because

    a substantial

    patt

    of

    the events or

    5

    1

    omissions giving rise to this

    case

    occurred in California and/

    or

    their effects

    were

    felt in California by

    6 HunterHeart, a resident of

    Santa Clara

    County.

    7

    8

    9

    1

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    2.

    Venue

    is

    proper

    in the Superior Court

    of

    the State

    of

    California

    in

    and

    for

    the County

    of Santa Clara

    because

    a substantial

    part

    of the events or

    omissions

    giving rise to this case occurred

    within the County

    of Santa

    Clara and/or their errects were

    caused by BRU,

    a corporation which

    conducts a substantial

    amount

    of business in this County.

    THE

    P RTIES

    3.

    Plaintiff Hunterlleart

    is, and at all

    relevant

    times was, a California corporation doing

    husiness in

    the

    State

    of

    California ,

    with

    its principal place

    of

    business

    currently located in Los Gatos,

    Culifomia.

    4.

    Defendant BRLI

    is, and at all relevant times was, a

    New

    Jersey cmvoration, doing

    business

    in the

    State of California a

    nd more

    specifically within

    Santa Clara

    Cotmty, California.

    5

    Huntcriieart

    is ignorant

    of

    lhe true

    names

    and capacities

    of

    the

    defendants sued herein

    18 as DOES

    l-1 0, inclusive, and therefore sues these defendants

    by

    fictitious

    names

    pursuant to

    19 California

    Code

    of Civil

    Procedure

    section 474.

    Hunter

    Heart will

    amend

    this Complaint to allege the

    20 true identities of DOES through 10

    once

    they have been ascertained.

    HunterHemt

    is infom1ed and

    21 believes that each of

    the

    defendant >

    sued

    as

    DOES

    1 tluough 10 is in

    some manner

    responsible for

    22

    the occurrences, injuries

    and other damages

    alleged in this Complaint. HunterHeart is informed and

    23

    believes that at

    all

    relevant times

    each

    DOE

    defendant acted

    as an agent

    or

    employee

    of

    or as a co-

    24

    conspirator with the

    named defendant

    in connection

    with

    the acts/or omissions alleged herein.

    25 ST TEMENT OF F CTS

    26

    6

    Prior to

    August

    7, 2013, ITunterHcart, which

    was then known

    as Hunter Laboratories,

    27

    nc., operated an

    independent

    clinical laboratory based

    in

    Campbell , Califomia.

    On

    August

    7,

    2013,

    28

    Hunter

    Laboratories , Inc.

    and

    BRLI entered into a written

    Asset Purchase Agreement

    pursuant to

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    3/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    1

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28

    which, among other things, certain operating assets and certain of the operating liabilities of Hunter

    Laboratories, Inc., were transfened to

    BRLT in

    exchange for a specified purchase price (the

    Agreement ). In the course

    of

    negotiating the Agreement, and prior to execution

    of

    that contract,

    BRLI

    representatives stated numerous times to Hunter Laboratories that

    BRLI

    had no interest in

    acquiring that portion

    of the

    Hunter Laboratories business which involved testing and related services

    for cardiovascular conditions and events and which had been operating successfully for more than six

    (6) years, and that BRLI was not planning to expand the very limited offering it then had in that area.

    Accordingly, the Agreement expressly excluded assets identified and defined therein as the

    HuntcrHeart Enterprise. The HunterHeart Enterprise involved and eontinues to involve a set of

    medical tests, testing protocols, and guidelines to aid physicians in the diagnosis

    of

    and

    recommendation

    of

    treatment programs for cardiac and cardiovascular conditions and events. The

    assets which Hunterl-leart thus retained pursuant lo the Agreement included intellectual property,

    l

    customer accounts,

    equipment

    , rights to

    cuny

    out certain laboratory tests, license agreements, and all

    other things necessary to conduct the Ilunterl-Teart business. Pursuant to the Agreement, HunterHeart

    and not BRLI would continue to own the HunterHeart Enterprise after August 7, 2013. See

    Agreement, Exhibit 9.2).

    HRLI

    is in possession

    of

    an original counterpart

    of

    the Agreement, which

    contains conlidcntiality provisions which could make inclusion in a public document such as this

    Complaint inappropriate.

    BRLI

    is fully aware

    of

    all tenns and conditions included in the Agreement.

    To the extent relevant, certain material tenns

    of

    the Agreement have

    been

    recited or accurately

    mmmarized herein.

    7. Under the Agreement, BRLI agreed, among other things, to provide HunterJ-Teart

    testing, related services,

    and

    repmis on

    Huntcrlka t

    ' s

    behalf

    during a servicing period

    of

    up to six (6)

    months

    after

    August 7, 2013 (hereinafter the Servicing Period ). BRLI also agreed to

    pay

    Hunterlleart 40% of cash collections for such tests. See Agreement, Section 10.20(b), 'l csts, page

    42). BRLI failed to meet these obligations. For example, BR LI failed to properly bill all tests, failed

    t1

    collect on what amounts i t did bill , failed to pay what it owed HunterHeru1 with respect to cash

    collected from IlunterHeart clients, and refused to pay HunterHem1 any a111 unt from revenue

    derived from HunterHeart customer located in Northern California.

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    4/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    4

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28

    8

    In addition, from and after approximately early November

    2013,

    BRLI failed and

    refused to provide to HunterHeart information regarding the performance of and billing for

    IlunterHeart testing,

    as

    well as information regarding amounts received

    by

    BRLl for the performance

    of

    such tests. As a result, HunterHeart has

    been

    unable to audit BRLT cash collections for its

    perfom1ance

    of

    Hunteriieart tests during the Servicing Period. Notwithstanding these failures and

    refusals by BRLI, which continue lo the date

    or

    filing of this Complaint, Hunter Heart

    is

    informed cmd

    believes, and on that basis alleges, that BRLT has failed to pay UunterJ-Teart approximately $234,000

    ts its (Hunterl-leart's) agreed share of cash collections received by BRLI thro ugh February 2014 for

    testing performed outside Northern California and approximately $880,000

    in

    addition as

    Hunted

    Ieart' s agreed

    t;hare of

    cash

    collections received by

    B RLI

    through February 2014 for testing

    pt:rformed within Notthern California.

    9 From and after approximately March 2014, BRLI refused to consent to the release to

    I:IuntcrHeart

    of

    up

    to

    $4

    million which had

    been

    set aside from the purchase price established by the

    Agreement. BRLI refused to consent to the release n f these tunds held in escrow despite the fact that

    r-IunterUeart

    had

    :satisfied all conditions

    set

    forth

    in

    the Agreement for such release.

    10 BRLT agreed

    as

    an express and material term of the Agreement that it would take such

    actions as reasonahly required to carry out the intent and purposes of the Agreement, including any

    actions necessary to legally operate the parties' respective husinesses involved after the August 7,

    2013 closing date.

    See

    Agreement, Section

    10.15,

    Further Assurances, page

    40).

    In reliance on

    BRLI's agreement to this and other provisions, HunterHcart signed the Agreement. BRLJ, however,

    has breached the Agreement as set f01ih in greater detail below by, among other things, interfering

    with rather than supporting the

    HuntcrHeatt

    Enterprise.

    A

    Unlawful ctions Taken y BRLI Related to Northern California

    11. Starting the very day after the close

    of

    the transaction contemplated hy the Agreement

    (AugustS,

    2013)

    and continuing to lhe present, BRLI has unde1taken a purposeful campaign to

    sabotage

    HunterHeart's

    client relationships and to steal the HunterHcart Enterprise business.

    12 On the first day BRU began running tests on bchalfofHunterHeart, BRLI removed

    the Hunterl-:Ieart name and mark from test result

    repmt

    forms and inserted its own name

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    5/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    1

    12

    13

    4

    5

    6

    17

    18

    19

    20

    2

    22

    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28

    ( Bio-Reference Laboratories ) in their place. Following multiple requests, afler several weeks

    BRLI finally reinstated the HunterHcart name and mark on some but not all HunterJieart test report

    forms it delivered thereafter. In doing so, however, BRLI implemented coding

    which

    corrupted

    patient test result repmting. For example, patient test reports often did nol include all test results,

    which omissions often including TOL cholesterol (which is a key component on which

    cardiovascular

    treatment is often based). Additionally, some patient reports failed to include results

    for entire categories

    of

    testing (such as Metabolic Syndrome, Advanced Risk Markers, and

    Int1ammation), other reports were formatted improperLy (making it difficult for physician clients to

    read and use them), and yet others did not include Patient Risk Category classification and related

    Treatment Goals (important and unique features of the HunterHeart product

    ru d

    services). Material

    ; omissions such as these adversely affected client relationships and caused irreparable damage o the

    HunterHeart name, marks, reputation, and business.

    Even more shocking, no one at BRLI regularly

    reviewed coding changes before reporting results and, as a result, corrupted reports were sent to

    physicians for the entire six (6) month servicing period following August 7, 2013.

    On

    repeated

    occasions, HunterHemi requested that coding and other errors and omissions be corrected. BRLI

    initially refused (despite knowing that it was continuing to deliver erroneous and/or incomplete

    reports).

    t was

    not until five (5) months after

    execution of

    the Agreement that BRLT finally

    addressed some of these issues and attempted (unsucccssf'ully) to fix them.

    13. During the six (6) month period when BRLI was servicing the HunterHcart accounts,

    BRLI s further misdeeds also included, but were not limited to, failures and refusals to competently

    service HunterHeart accounts,

    multiple

    billing issues and mistakes, and gross lack of responsiveness

    to

    client concems.

    Each

    such material error

    or

    omission persisted despite repeated requests from

    f-IunterHeart for corrective action. For example, prior to August 7, 2013, knowledgeable personnel

    reviewed all patient test result reports in order to identify reporting issues and to monitor turnaround

    time. Accuracy and speed of reporting were and arc critically irnportunt considerations for physician

    clients. BRLI, however, discontinued this essential practice and failed to implement anything

    comparable in its place.

    BRLI failures to competently service

    Hunter

    Heart accounts resulted in loss

    of

    such accounts in Northern California, including its largest wellness program client, and the loss of

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    6/25

    other accounts elsewhere. Damage to reputation and loss

    of

    revenue followed, and these acts and

    2 omissions by

    BRLI

    also forced Hunted

    Teart

    to

    i m ~ u r

    substantial expenses in connection with its

    3 subsequent efforts to minimize these and other damages.

    4

    14

    As

    the six (6) month Servicing Period was ending,

    BRLl

    engaged in further unlawful

    5 efforts to misappropriate and/or destroy the HunterHeart Enterprise in Northern California (and

    6 elsewhere) by making false and misleading statements. Specitically, in early February

    2014, BRU

    7 sent a mass communication to what appears to be HunterHeart's entire customer base. In at least one

    8 of these messages, BRLI stated falsely that it would be offering

    a

    better way

    to

    assess heart health

    9 through our Advanced Cardiovascular Testing (ACT) services. To add further insult to injury, after

    10 BRLI sent the message containing this false comparison, its persotmel commenced a campaign

    11 whereby sales representatives visited HunterHeart accounts, on some occasions multiple times during

    12 .

    ensuing weeks depending upon the size of the account, to further expound in person on the

    13

    misleading contents

    of

    the message. A true and cmTcct copy

    of

    the subject

    BRLT

    message

    is

    attached

    14 hereto as Exhih.it A, and incorporated here by reference. Such untrue and misleading comparisons

    15 with HunterHeati 's products and services and such intentional interference with Iltmterlleart's

    16

    ~ u s t o m r

    relationships have resulted in substanlial harm to HunlerHeart. Hunterlleart demanded that

    7 BRLI correct its false statements and comparisons and take other

    conectivc

    action, hut BRLl refused.

    18

    15.

    Also in connection with and following the false and misleading mass communication,

    19

    BRLI personnel directly informed some HunterH.eart customers and led others to believe that the

    20 HunterHear t testing program would no longer be available from any source to physicians and groups

    21 who had been using it successfully for more than six (6) years and that, as a result, those physicians

    22

    who wished to order a Huntcri ieart testing panel would need to replace it with BRLI's ACT panel.

    23 For example, one

    BRU

    salesperson falsely told the largest HunterHeart client in Northern California

    24 that Hw1terHcart had refused to sell or license its cardiovascular program to BRLI and also had

    25 refused to allow BRT l to continue running I-TunterHeart panels. These statements were made in spite

    26 of the fact that, as recently as early f ebruary 2014, HunterHcart had offered and encouraged BRLI to

    27 make arrangements to continue to offer the H.untcriieart program in Nmthern California. And for

    28 other customers who continued to insi st on access

    to

    the Hunteri -Ieart program in Northern California,

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    7/25

    1 BRLI sales personnel promised to them and provided results

    of

    the same tests included in the

    2 HuntcrHeart program

    but

    reported those results

    on

    the second and later pages

    of

    a BRLI ACT report

    3 fom1. And on at least one occasion, a

    BRLI

    sales manager went so far as to instruct RRLI patient

    4

    1

    service center personnel to replace HuntcrHeart tests with the

    ACT

    panel on a requisition form

    5 because

    they

    are the same thing. This BRLI sales rnanager also told at least one Tiw1terHeart client

    6 that ACT is replacing the HunterHeart panel as it is the same thing. And in much the same manner

    7 as its sales staff diverted business from and debased HunteriTeart in these ways, BRLI customer

    8 service personnel were instructed to and did contact physicians and physician offices which had

    9 ordered Hunterlleatt panels to in form them that the Hunterf-Teart program was no longer available

    I

    0 and hau been replaced by ACT. Th

    is

    occuncd despite the fact that BRLI (like all other participants

    in the medical testing industry) routinely collects specimens for specific tests requested by physicians

    12

    which are not performed by

    BRLI

    and sends those to a laboratory which

    can

    (and does) perform

    13

    those pmticular tests.

    14 16. Further still, at and around the end of the six (6) month Servicing Period BRLI refused

    15

    to turn over to HunterHeart various HunterHeart Enterprise assets and refused to pay HunterHeart

    16 any amount from revenue which

    it

    (BRl ,I had derived from HunterHeart customers located in

    17

    Northern California. The HunterHcart Enterprise assets were

    essential

    for HunterHeart to transition

    18 HunterHeart accounts to a n

    ew

    laboratory provider after the Servicing Period ended. These assets

    9

    included but were not limited to customer contact information, set up sheets, and physician

    20 authorization fom1s. BRLI similarly delayed turning over

    to

    Hunted leart essential assets owned hy

    21 HunterHcart in the form

    of

    information and material necessary for the new laboratory which

    22 HunterHea1t had engaged to perfom1 HDL2b testing (a unique element of the HunterHeart basic test

    23 par1el). As a result, HunterHeart was prevented from contacting, setting up, or providing services to

    24 many Northern California customers and impaired

    in

    its ability to perform the

    HDL2b

    assay and to

    25 provide to customers a complete testing program.

    26

    17.

    BRLI 's retention

    of

    and/

    or

    delays

    in

    transferring various IIunteriiear t Enterprise

    27 assets violate the Agreement.

    See

    Agreement, Exhibit 9.2). Pursuant to the Agreement,

    28 HunterHeart continued to own all such assets. BRLl's unlawful conversion and manipulation

    of

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    8/25

    HunterHcart

    property was

    and is unauthorized and intentional

    and

    caused substantial harm to

    2 HunterHeart.

    3

    18.

    HunterHeart

    is informed and believes, and

    on

    that basis alleges, that BRLI continues

    4 to

    purport

    to offer the Hunter

    Heart

    test panel to

    Northern

    Cali rornia physicians and possibly

    5

    physicians

    elsewhere

    and to do so under its

    own name

    rather than that

    ofHunterHeart. BRLI's

    6 actions in this regard interfere with existing relationships

    between HunterHeart and

    its customers and

    7 are

    in

    further violation of the Agreement. See Agreement, Section 9.2(a),

    Noncompetition and

    8 Non-Solicitation, page 30.)

    These

    actions also violate other of .HunterHeart's legal rights.

    9 19. BRLI

    engaged in

    further unlawful efforts to misappropriate

    and/or

    destroy the

    10 HunterHeart

    Enterprise

    in

    Northern California by taking other

    improper

    steps l.o prevent

    IlunterHeart

    11

    accounts

    from being

    properly maintained and serviced. Specifically, in

    early

    March

    2014,

    BRTJ

    12 contacted

    past employees

    (phlebotomists)

    of BRLI

    located in Cal ifornia

    who had

    expressed interest

    13

    in

    becoming

    employed

    by HunterHcart's new

    testing

    provider- West Pacific

    Medical

    Lab

    14 ( WPML ) . BRLI stated in writing to

    one

    or

    more such

    former

    employees that

    they were barred

    5 fiom working for WPML and from

    providing

    services for

    any

    other

    company

    to any BRLI customer

    16

    with

    which the employee had

    had contact during his or her tenure

    with BRLI.

    This included

    17 Hunterl-leart customers. A true and correct

    copy of

    this letter sent on behalf of BRLI

    is

    attached

    18

    hereto as

    Exhibit 13

    and incorporated here by reference.

    Not

    surprisingly, and as

    a

    result

    of BRU's

    9 legally unjustified statements,

    WPML has been

    delayed

    in or

    prevented from hiring competent

    20 personnel

    necessary

    to fully perform testing services

    for

    HunterHcart. DRLI's lawless intimidation

    21 thus

    prevented HunterHeart

    from maintaining and servicing its accounts in

    Northern

    California,

    22

    :arming

    HtmtcrHeart

    yet

    futther.

    23

    24

    B

    20

    .

    Unlawful ctions Taken y BRLI Outside OfNorthern California

    In addition to the

    un

    lawful actions it carried out to interfere with, misappropriate,

    25

    and

    /or destroy the

    HunterHcart

    Enterprise in Nmihern California, BRLI undertook a campaign to

    26

    damage HunterHeart's

    business in other locations as well.

    For

    example,

    BRLI

    printed reports

    on

    27 non-HunterHeart forms and charged incorrect

    amounts

    to clients for tests

    performed

    for physicians

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    9/25

    such

    refusal could or would

    harm HunterHeart s ongoing

    relationship with

    the

    client involved.

    2

    Among other

    damages, these actions resulted in

    the

    loss of Hunterl-

    feart s

    largest

    non-Califomia

    3 client

    which

    accounted for approximately 600,000 in annual revenue.

    BRLI

    likewise failed to

    4

    collect

    on

    billings to third party insurance companies, and failed

    to

    report and

    pay

    for revenues

    5

    received for

    all HunterHeart

    testing

    performed

    for clients outside

    Northern

    California.

    6 21.

    BRLI

    also printed test result s delivered to

    HunterHcart

    customers outside Northern

    7

    California

    on OBGYN

    formatted reports.

    This

    is inexplicable

    at

    best, considering that

    the

    R

    HunterHcart

    program involves medical tests and

    programs

    to aid physicians

    in

    the diagnosis of and

    9

    recommendation

    of

    treatment programs for cardiovascular disease,

    not

    anatomic pathology and

    10 sexually transmitted diseases. Not surprisingly, delivery

    of such

    inappropriate repmts to physician

    clients resulted in substantial

    harm

    to

    Hunterl

    leart.

    12 FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION

    3

    Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations)

    4

    22.

    Hunterlleart

    repeats

    and

    re-allcges paragraphs

    l-21,

    inclusive, as if fully set forth

    15

    herein.

    6 23.

    At all relevant times,

    BRLI

    knew

    of

    the existence

    of

    the

    Agreement

    and

    its own

    7

    8

    19

    20

    2

    22

    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28

    obligations pursuant to the

    Agreement

    and

    was

    aware of the contraetmtl relations between

    HunterHeart

    and

    HunterHcart cust

    omers.

    24. RRLI agreed as

    an express

    and material term

    of

    the

    Agreement

    that

    it

    would take such

    actions as reasonably required to carry out the intent

    and

    purposes

    of

    the Agreement, including any

    actions necessary to continue to properly operate the parties' respective businesses involved after the

    August

    7, 2013 c losing date.

    Statt

    ing the very first day after

    the

    close

    of

    the

    transaction

    contemplated by the

    Agreement (August

    R 2013) and continuing to the

    present

    , BRLI undertook a

    purposeful

    campaign

    to sabotage

    HunterHeart s

    client relationshjps and to steal the

    HunterHeatt

    Enterprise business.

    25.

    BRLI

    intentionally disrupted the HunterHeart Enterprise and knowingly engaged in

    wrongful

    conduct which

    adversely affected I-lunterHeart's contractual relationships. Among other

    things,

    BRU

    (i) failed to take

    such

    actions as reasonably required to carry

    out

    the

    intent and purposes

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    10/25

    1

    of the Agreement, including actions necessary to continue to properly operate the parties respective

    2 businesses after the August 7, 2013

    dosing

    date; (ii) failed to provide HunterHeart testing, related

    3 services, and reports

    on

    I-hmterHeart s behalf with minimum competency for a period of

    up

    to six (6)

    4

    months after August

    7

    2013; (iii)

    removed the HunterHeart name from test result rep01t forms;

    5 (iv) made false and misleading comparative statements, including the

    mass

    communication to

    6 HunterHeart s customers; (v) commenced a campaign whereby 13RLI personnel visited HunterHeatt

    7 accounts to expound in person on the misleading contents

    of

    the mass communication; (vi) falsely

    8 disseminated information to

    Hunt

    crHcart customers that the HunterHeart testing

    program

    would no

    9

    longer be available from any source to physicians and groups who had been using

    it

    successfully for

    10

    more

    than six

    (6)

    years; and (vii) retained, delayed , and in

    some

    instances refused to transfer to

    11

    IlunterHeart

    contact information, setup sheets, physician authorization forms, and other things which

    12 were HuntcrHemt Enterprise assets and necessary for Hunterlleart to transition the Hunterlleart

    13

    accounts to a

    new

    laboratory provider following the servicing period.

    14 26. As

    a result of

    the

    conduct of BRLI

    as

    alleged herein, HunterHemt has been damaged

    15

    i.n an amount

    to

    be proven at trial. HunterHca1t

    s

    damages exceed the jurisdictional minimum of this

    16 Court.

    17

    27.

    BRLI s conduct was purpostful and intentional and done

    in

    conscious disregard for

    8 TTunterHem1 s rights, thereby warranting the assessment

    of

    exemplary and punitive damages.

    19 WHEREFORE,

    HunterHeart prays for relief as set fotth below.

    20 SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION

    21 Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage)

    22 28.

    IlunterHemi

    repeats and rc-alleges paragraphs 1-21, inclusive, as

    if

    fully set forth

    23

    herein.

    24 29. BRLI engaged in the conduct alleged herein with the intent to interfere with and/or

    25 destroy the economically advantageous relationships between HunterJieart and HunterHeart

    26 customers and to make those relationships less :financially beneficial for HunterHcart.

    27

    28

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    11/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    R

    9

    30. As a result

    of

    the

    conduct of

    BRLJ as alleged herein,

    HunterHeart

    has been damaged

    in an

    amount

    to be proven

    at

    trial. Hunterl-

    leart s

    damages

    exceed

    the jurisdictional minimum of this

    Court.

    31.

    BRLI s conduct was

    purposeful and intentional

    and done in

    conscious disregard for

    HunterHeatt s

    rights, thereby warranting the assessment

    of exemplary

    and punitive damages.

    WHEREFORE,

    HunterHeart

    prays for

    relief

    as set forth below.

    32.

    THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION

    Breach

    o

    Contract)

    HunterHeart

    repeats and re-a leges paragraphs 1-21 , inclusive, as

    if

    fully set forth

    lO

    herein.

    11

    33.

    llunterHcart has perfonned all

    of

    its obligations under the Agreement.

    12

    13

    14

    15

    6

    7

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    34. From and after August

    8,

    2013, RRLI t ~ i l c d to

    meet

    its obligations under the

    Agreement by,

    among other

    things: (i) failing to take such actions as reasonably required to

    cany

    out

    the intent and purposes of

    the

    Agreement, induding actions necessary to continue to properly operate

    the

    parties

    respective businesses after

    the August

    7, 2013 closing date; (ii) failing to pay

    all

    amounts

    due to Hunteriieart

    under

    the Agreement; (iii) failing to provide HunterHeart testing, related services,

    and reports

    on HunterHeart s behalf

    with

    minimum

    competency

    for

    a period

    of up to six (6) months

    after

    August

    7,

    201 3;

    (iv) retaining and/

    or

    delaying the transfer

    of various

    HunterHeart Enterprise

    assets necessary to

    conduct

    the HunterHeart husiness; (v) consistently

    engaging

    in willful and

    malicious conduct with

    the

    intent to interfere with and/or

    ~ s t r o y

    the economica.lly-advantageous

    relationships betwe::en

    HunterHeart

    and HunterHeart customers;

    and

    (vi) failing and refusing to

    release to

    IlunterHcart

    a large porti

    on

    of

    th e purchase price

    under

    the Agreement.

    35. As a result ofBRLI ' s breaches

    of the

    Agreement, Hunteriieart has been damaged in

    an

    amount

    to he proven at trial. HunterHcart s dm11ages exceed

    the

    jurisdictional minimum

    of

    this

    25 Court.

    26 WHEREFORE,

    HunteriTeart prays for

    relief

    as set forth below.

    27

    28

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    12/25

    2

    3

    36

    FOURTH

    CAUSE OF

    ACTION

    (Breach

    of

    The

    Implied

    Covenant Of Good Faith And Fair

    Dealing)

    HunterHeati repeats and re-alleges paragraphs 1-21, inclusive, as if fully set forth

    4 herein.

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    2

    13

    4

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    4

    25

    26

    37.

    3S

    HunterHeart performed all

    of

    its obligations under the Agreement.

    Every contract imposes upon each party to a contract a duty of good faith and fair

    dealing in performance and enforcement

    of

    their agreement. This implied covenant

    of

    good faith and

    fair dealing requires that no party

    will

    do anything that will have the effect of impairing, destroying,

    or injuring the rights of the other party to receive the benefits of their agreement. The covenant also

    implies that

    in

    all contracts each party will do all things reasonably contemplated by the terms of the

    contract to accomplish its purpose. This covenant protects the benefits

    of

    the Agreement that

    HunterHcart and BRLI reasonably contemplated when they entered into the Agreement.

    As alleged

    herein,

    B RLI

    failed to properly perform all

    of

    its obligations under the Agreement and otherwise

    violated the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

    39. BRLI interfered with llunterHeart s right to receive the benefits

    ofthe

    Agreement by,

    among other things: (i) failing to take such actions as reasonably required to carry out the intent and

    purposes of the Agreement, including actions necessary to continue

    to

    properly operate the parties

    respective businesses after the August 7,

    2013

    closing date:; (ii) tailing to pay all amounts due to

    HunterHeart under the Agreement; (iii) failing

    to

    provide IlunterHcarl testing, related services, and

    reports un Hunterlleart s

    behalf

    wi h minimum competency fur a period

    of up

    to six (o) months after

    August 7, 2013 ; (iv) retaining and/or delaying the transfer of various IlunterHeart assets necessary to

    conduct the HunterHeart business; (v) consistently engaging in willful and malicious conduct with

    the intent to interfere with and/or destroy the economically-advantageous relationships between

    HunterHeart and HunterHeart customers; and (vi) i l i n g and refusing to release to HunterHeart a

    large portion of the purchase price under the Agreement.

    40

    As a result of

    BRLI s

    breaches of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing,

    27 HunterHeart has been damaged in an amount to be proven at trial. HunterHemi s damages exceed

    28 the jurisdictional minimwn of thi s Court.

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    13/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    herein.

    7

    WHEREFORE, HunterHeart prays for relief as set forth below.

    FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION

    Violation Of California Business Professions

    ode Sections 17200,

    et seq -

    Unfair Business Practices Act)

    41 Hunter

    Heart repeats and re-alleges paragraphs 1-21, inclusive, as if fully set forth

    42.

    The Unfair Business Practices Act defines unfair business competition to include any

    8 "unfair," unlawful,"

    or

    fraudulc.nt business act or practice including any unfair, deceptive, untrue or

    9 misleading advertising.

    1

    43 .

    BRLI

    's unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business acts and practices are described

    l throughout this Complaint. These include but are not limited to the following: (i) BRLI 's removal

    of

    12 the Hunter Icart name and mark from lest result report fnnns; (ii) BRLI's false and misleading

    13 comparative statements, including the mass communication to H.untcrHeart's customer base; (iii) the

    14 commencement of a campaign whereby RRT J persorU1el visitt:d HunterHcart accounts to expound in

    15 person

    on th

    e misleading contents of the mass communication; (iv) BRLI's false dissemination of

    16 infon:nation to IIunteriieart customers that the HuntcrHcari testing program would no longer be

    7

    available from any

    source

    to physicians and groups who had been using it successfully for more than

    18 six (6) years; (v)

    BRLI

    ' s delay and

    in

    some in stances refusal to transfer to HunterHeatt contact

    19 information, setup sheets, physician authorization fom1s, and other things which were Hunte.rHeart

    20 Enterprise assets and essential for HunterHeart to transition IIunterHeart accounts to a new laboratory

    21 provider; (vi) BRLl's refusal to pay HunterHcart any amount

    from

    revenue derived from llunterJiearl

    22 customers located

    in

    Nm1hern California; and (vii)

    RRLI's

    unlawful efforts to misappropriate and/or

    23 destroy the

    llunterlleart

    Enterprise by preventing HuntcrHeart and/

    or

    its new laboratory provider

    24 from maintaining and servicing the HunterHear t accounts; and (viii) threatening to commence legal

    25 action against past employees (phlebotomists) ofBRLl who had expressed interest in becoming

    26 employed by HunterHeart's new testing provider.

    27

    44.

    BRLI has been unjustly enriched as a result

    of

    its wrongful conduct and by its unfair

    2R comoetition. HunterHeart is accordinP:lv entitled to e ui table

    relief

    includin restitution and/or

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    14/25

    disgorgement of all revenues, earnings, protits, compensation, and benefits obtained by BRTJ as a

    2 result

    of

    such improper business practices.

    3

    45. BRLI s conduct was purposeful and intentional and done in conscious disregard for

    4

    HunterHeart s rights, thereby warranting the assessment

    of

    exemplary and punitive damages.

    5

    WHEREFORE, HunterHeart prays for relief as set forth below.

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10 herein.

    46 .

    47.

    SIXTH CAUSE OF

    ACTION

    (Violation Of California Business Professi.ons

    Code Sections 17500, et seq.- False Advertising Laws)

    HunterHeart repeats and re-alleges paragraphs 1-21, inclusive, as if fully set forth

    BRLT s unfair, deceptive, untrue and/or misleading advertising are described

    12 throughout this Complaint and include but are not limited to the following: (i) BRLl s false and

    3

    misleading comparative statements and specifically the mass communication to HunterHcart s entire

    14 customer base; (ii) the commencement of a sales campaign whereby BR.LI personnel visited

    5 HunlerHcart accounts to expound in person on the misleading contents ofthe mass communication;

    6 (iii) BRLI

    personnel s

    false dissemination of information to HunterHcart customers that the

    7 I-IunterHeart testing program would no longer be available from any source to physicians and groups

    8 who had been using it successrully for more than six (o) years; and (iv) misrepresenting the origins of

    9

    llunterHeart tests and llunterHeart test results by removing the I-ItmterHeart name and trademark

    20 from test result report forms and by rcpo1iing the results of Hunted-

    Teart

    tests on report forms bearing

    2

    the

    BRT

    J name and/or reference to the BRLI

    ACT

    testing program.

    22

    4 :1.

    BRLT s dissemination

    or

    ralse and materially misleading and deceptive information

    23 and the omission

    of

    material information, as discussed above and throughout this Complaint, for

    24 purposes of inducing existing HunterHeart customers to request BRLI s

    ACT

    testing panel and cause

    25 substantial financial hann to HunterHeart violates California Business and Professions Code Section

    26

    17500 etseq.

    27

    28

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    15/25

    1

    49

    BRLI has

    been

    unjustly enriched as a result

    of

    its wrongful conduct. HunterHeart is

    2 accordingly entitled to equitable relief including restitution and/or disgorgement

    of

    all revenues,

    3 earnings, profits, compensation, and benefits obtained by BRLl as a result

    of

    such business practices.

    4

    50

    BRLI's

    conduct

    was purposeful and intentional and done

    in

    conscious disregard for

    5

    6

    HunterHeart 's rights, thereby warranting the assessment of exemplary and punitive damages.

    WHEREFORE

    , HunterHeart prays for

    relief

    as set forth below.

    7

    8

    9

    1

    11

    herein.

    12

    51

    52

    SF:VENTH C USE OF CTION

    (Violation of California Business Professions

    Code Section 16600)

    Tiun.terHeart repeats and rc-alleges paragraphs l-21 , inclusive, as

    iffully

    set forth

    BRLI's conduct violates California Business and Professions Code Section 16600,

    13

    which prohibits

    eve

    ry contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession,

    14 trade,

    or business .

    15

    53.

    Spccitically, in early March 2014, BRLI contacted past employees (phlebotomists) of

    16 13RLI located in

    California

    who had expressed interest in

    becoming employed by

    HuntcrHeart's

    new

    17 testing provider- WPML. BRLI slated in writing to one or more such former employees that they

    18 were barred flom working for

    WPML

    and from providing services

    on behalf of

    any other company to

    19 any BRLI customer with which that employee had had contact during his or her employment with

    20 BRLL This included HuntcrHeart customers. BRLI's legally unjustified statements and threats were

    21 based on Paragraph 5(A) of the Ph lebotomist Non-Solicitation Agreement signed by former BRLI

    22 employees.

    23

    54

    Pursuant to California Business and Professions Code Section 16600 the Phlebotomist

    24 Non-Solicitation Agreement is void because it expressly restrains former BRLI employees from

    25 engagi

    ng

    in a lawful proicssion, trade, or business.

    26

    55.

    As a result

    of

    I3RLI' s legally unjustified statements,

    WPML

    has been delayed in

    or

    27 prevented from hiring competent personnel necessary to fully perform testing services for

    28

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    16/25

    1 HuntcrHcart.

    BRU s

    lawless intimidation has prevented

    HunterHeart

    from maintaining and

    2 servicing accounts

    in

    Northern California,

    harming

    llunterHeart yet further.

    3

    56.

    As a result ofRRLI s unlawful conduct as alleged herein, Hunterl-Ierui has been

    4

    1

    damaged in an amount to be proven at trial.

    HunterHeart s damages exceed the

    jurisdictional

    5 minimum of

    this

    Comt.

    6 WHEREFORE,

    HunterHeart

    prays for

    relief

    as set forth

    below

    .

    7 EIGHTH CAUSE OF ACTION

    8 Fraud)

    9 57.

    HunterHeart

    repeats and re-alleges paragraphs

    1-21,

    inclusive, as

    if

    full y set forth

    10

    herein.

    11

    58.

    At

    the times BRLl

    represented to

    HunterHeart

    that t (RRLI)

    had

    no interest in

    12

    acquiring

    the

    HunterH.erut Enterprise business and that BRLJ was not

    plann

    i

    ng

    to

    expand

    the very

    13

    limited offering it then

    had in

    that area, these statements were false.

    IlunterHcart is

    informed and

    14 believes, and on that basis

    alkges,

    that BRLI s true intent

    was

    to acquire the HunterHeart Enterprise

    15

    business by failing to properly support the

    same

    during the Servicing Period, by interfering

    with

    16

    relationships

    between Hunteriiearl

    and its clients,

    by engaging in

    various acts

    ofunfair

    competition,

    17 an

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    17/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    1

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    2

    21

    22

    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28

    herein.

    62

    NINTH CAUSE OF ACTION

    Trademark Infringement

    15

    U.S.C.

    1 114)

    H untcrHeart repeats and re-alleges paragraphs 1-21, inclusive, as i fully set forth

    63. The HunterHcart Enterprise was and is based in substantial

    patton

    the existence and

    use of

    certain

    intellectual property assets. HtmterHcart was the developer of a highly successful set

    of medical tests, testing programs, and guidelines to aid physicians in the assessm.ent

    of

    risk

    of

    heart

    disease and stroke and in the recommendation

    of

    treatment regimens for cardiovascular conditions

    and events. Key to this HUNTERHEJ\.RT Program is the

    HUNTERHEART

    Panel, which provides

    lab results to facilitate assessment

    of

    risks beyond what

    is

    possible using

    r ~ m l t s of

    common heart

    disease and stroke markers such as total, I .DL, and IIDL cholesterol, which are the tocus of the

    traditional lipid panel. The IIUNTERHE.ART Panel employs the traditional lipid profile but also

    includes results of a number oCnewcr tests that include intlammatory and genetic markers. By using

    the HUNTERHEART Panel and resulting HUNTERHF.AKT Report, physicians can uncover hidden

    factors that may indicate a high risk

    of

    heart attack

    or

    stroke

    i

    untreated. An exemplar

    of

    the

    HUNTERilEART

    Report is included at Exhibit

    C

    64. Since at least as early as May 2009, Hunterl-learl extensively used the

    HUNTERH.EART word mark as well as the HUNTElu-IEART Hearl Design Mark (the

    HUNTERHEART Marks ) in commerce in connection with its medical diagnostic testing services.

    The HUNTERHEART Program has been and is used by physicians and hospitals throughout the

    United States. Over

    35,000

    HlJNTERHEART Panel analyses have been conducted on individual

    patients since the

    HUNTI,RHEART Program was first introduced. IIUNTERJ-

    IEART

    Reports

    reviewed and used by hospitals and physicians relative to individual patients each prominent display

    one or both of the H UNTERHEAR T Marks.

    65. As a result of this use and promotion, the HUNTERHEART marks have come

    to

    be

    associated with HunterHeart and with the consistently high level of quality and service provided by

    HunterHeart to its clients.

    16

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    18/25

    66. Hunterl-feart is the

    owner

    of the U .S. trademark registrations for the

    HUNTERIIEART

    2 Marks as shown below:

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    7

    Mark

    HlJNTERHEAR1 '

    - ---c----

    -

    --

    - - ,

    Registration No.

    3,

    731

    ,206

    3,731,207

    escription

    Medical

    diagnostic testing, monitoring and

    reporting services; Medical clinical

    reference laboratory testing services; health

    care services, namely, wellness programs;

    medical consulting services in the field of

    cardiology, consulting services in the field

    of diagnostic medical testing; medical

    information,

    namely

    , consumer-authorized

    clinical laboratory testing services that

    report results directly to

    the

    physician and

    atient.

    Medicul diagnostic testing, monitoring

    and

    reporting services;

    Medical

    clinical

    reference laboratory testing services; health

    care services ,

    namely, wellncss

    programs;

    rnedic.al consulting services in the field

    of

    cardiology, consulting services in the tlcld

    of diagnostic medical testing; rnedical

    infonnution, name y, consumer-authorized

    clinical laboratory testing services that

    report results directly to the physician and

    patient.

    18

    (Hereinafter

    the

    "

    HUNTERHFART

    Registrations "). Attached hereto as

    Exhibit

    Dare

    true

    and

    19 correct copies of the certificates of registration for the 1-HJNTERHEART Registrations.

    20

    67.

    The

    HUNTERHEART Registrations are valid, subsisting, and conclusive evidence of

    21

    the validity of

    each

    of the subject marks, HuntcrHeart s

    ownership

    of the marks, and HunterHeart s

    22 exclusive right to use

    each

    of the HUNTER HEART Marks in

    commerce

    or in connection with the

    23 services specified in the HUNTERHEART Registrations.

    24

    68

    BRLI has infringed and continues to infringe Hunted-Teart's federal registrations by

    25

    the selling, o1Tering for sale, distributing, and advertising medical diagnostic testing services under

    26 the exact marks found in the HUNTERIIEART Registrations .

    27

    69.

    BRLI' s

    use

    of

    the HUNTRRHEART

    Word Mark

    and

    tlw

    TIUNTERHEART

    Design

    28 Mark in connection with medical diagnostic testing services without

    HunterHeart s

    explicit or

    7

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    19/25

    2

    3

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    2

    3

    4

    15

    16

    17

    8

    9

    20

    2

    22

    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28

    impLicit consent is intended and is likely to cause confusion,

    to

    cause mistake, and to deceive, and

    has, upon information and belief, in fact caused confusion and mistake and deceived consumers and

    potential consumers of such services.

    70.

    BRLT

    will continue

    to

    infringe HunterHeart ' s HUNTERHEART Registrations and

    cause irreparable harm unless enjoined

    by

    this Court.

    71. BRLI's activities result in vio lation of Section 32 of the Lanham Act, and, upon

    information and belief,

    BRLI's

    violation is and has been willful, intentional , and in conscious

    disregard ofHunterlleart's rights.

    72. As a direct result ofBRU's unlawful conduct, HunterHeart has been and will continue

    to

    he

    irreparably and subs tantially harmed and injured.

    Tf

    BRU's infringement is permitted to

    continue, Hunt.cri-Ieart will sustain fmtber loss, damage and irreparable injury. HunterfTeart is further

    entitled to all other remedies set

    fo

    r

    th

    in Sections 34, 35 and 36 of the Lanham Act,

    15

    U.S.C.

    1116, 7 and 11 18.

    WHEREFORE, HunterHeart prays for relief as set forth below.

    TENTH CAUSE OF ACTION

    False Misleading Designation

    of

    Origin -

    1 5

    lJ.S.C.

    ll25 a) l) A))

    73.

    Hunterl-Ieart repeats and re-alleges paragraphs

    1-

    21 inclusive, and 63-71, inclusive, as

    if

    fully

    set

    forth herein.

    74. BRLI's use

    o t h ~

    HUNTERHEART Marks in connection with its rnedical diagnostic

    testing services constitutes a false designation

    of

    origin, a false description ofBR

    LI'

    s se rvices, and a

    false representation that BRLI's services are sponsored, endorsed, licensed, authorized

    by

    affiliated

    with, or connected to HunterHcart.

    75. As alleged herein, BRLT engaged in unlawful conduct to enhance the commercial

    value of its own goods and services and this conduct directly infringed upon tJ1e I-HINTER HEART

    marks. For example, among other things, BRLI misrepresented the origins

    of

    HunterHeart tests and

    IIunterHeart test results by removing the HunterHeart name and trademark from test result repmt

    f,)nns and by reporting the results

    ofiiunterHeart

    tests on report forms bearing the BRLI name

    and/or reference to the BRLI ACT testing program. BRLI's actions and its passing

    oil

    of

    1

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    20/25

    HunterHeart test results as its own resulted in confusion, deception, and mistake among Hunter I-Jeart

    2 customers.

    BRLI's

    conduct has caused a likelihood of confusion and deceived IlunterHeart

    3 customers and, additionally, caused impairment of HunterHeart's goodwill and reputation as

    4 symbolized by the

    HUNTERHE

    ART Marks.

    5 76. RR.U's has used a copy, variation, simulation or colorable imitation of the

    6 HUNTERITEART Marks with full knowledge

    of

    the long and extensive prior use

    by

    HunterHeart.

    7

    8

    77.

    78.

    BRLI will continue to cause irreparable harm unless enjoined by this Court.

    BRU s activities result in violation

    of

    Section 43

    of

    the Lanham Act and, upon

    9

    information and

    b e l i e ~

    BRLL s

    violation is and has been willful, intentional, and in conscious

    10 disregard of HuntcrHcart's right s .

    79. As a direct result

    ofBlUJ s

    unlawful conduct, Hunteriieart has been and will continue

    12 to be irreparably and substantially harmed and injured.

    lfBRLI s

    infringement is permitted to

    13 continue, I-hmterlleart

    will

    sustain futther loss, damage and itTeparable injury. HunterHeart

    is

    further

    14

    I

    entitled to all other remedies set forth in Sections 34,

    35

    and 36 ofthe Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C.

    15 1116,1117andlll8.

    16

    WHEREFORE

    , Hunter Ieart prays for relief as set forth below.

    17 ELEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION

    18

    False Advertising under the Lanham

    ct

    15

    U.S.C.

    1125 a) l) B))

    19 80. HunterHeart repeats and re-allegcs paragraphs 1-21, inclusive, and

    63

    - 71, inclusive,

    20 as if fully set forth herein.

    21 81. BRU s use of the

    HUNTERHEART

    Marks in commercial advertising and promotions

    22 misrepresents the nature, characteristics, qualities, or geographic origin

    of

    l3RLI's goods, services or

    23 commercial activities.

    24

    82. BRLI s false and misleading advertising is described throughout this Complaint and

    25 includes but is not limited to the following : (i) BRLI s false and misleading comparative statements

    26 and specifically the mass communication to HunterHcart's entire customer base; (ii) the

    27 conm1encement

    of

    a sales campaign whereby BRLI personnel visited HunterHeart accounts to

    28 expound in person on the misleading contents of the mass communication; (iii) the actions of BRLI

    19

    customer

    service personnel

    who

    were instructed to and did contact physicians

    and

    physician of tices

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    21/25

    2

    which had

    ordered

    the HunterHe

    art panels to

    inform

    them that the

    HunterHeatt program

    was no

    3 longer available and had been replaced by

    ACT;

    and (iv) misrepresenting

    the

    origins

    ofHunterHeart

    4 tests

    and

    HunterHeart test results by

    removing

    the IJunterHeart

    name

    and trademark from test result

    5 report

    fonns

    and

    by

    reporting the results

    of

    HuntcrHeart tests on forms bearing the

    BRLI name

    6 and /or reference to the BRLI

    ACT

    testing program.

    7

    83.

    These

    acts by

    BRLI

    constituted false advertising in violation

    of 15

    U.S.C. section

    8 1125(a)(l)(B).

    9

    84.

    BRLI

    s infringements

    of

    HunterHeart

    s rights were willful and intended to reap the

    10 benefit of the goodwill owned by Hw1terHeart.

    85.

    As a result

    of the conduct

    of BRLI as alleged herein, HunterHeati is entitled to

    12 injunctive and

    monetary

    relief.

    3

    86.

    As

    a result ofl3RLT's conduct, IIunterHeart has suffered and will continue to su-tler

    4 irreparable injury to its business reputation and goodwill.

    HunlerHeart

    is entitled to injunctive and

    5

    monetary relief as a result.

    16 WI IEREfORE, 1

    IunterHearl prays fur

    relief

    as set

    f 1ih

    below.

    17

    TWELFTH CAUSE OF ACTION

    8

    Conversion)

    19

    87 . HunterHeart

    repeats and rc-allcgcs paragraphs 1-21, inclusive, as

    if

    fully set forth

    20 herein.

    21

    88. The

    Agreement

    excluded certain assets identified and defined as the HunterTTcart

    22

    Enterprise.

    The Hunterl

    -Icart Enterprise

    involved

    and continues to involve a set of medical tests,

    23 testing protocols, and guidelines to aid physicians in the diagnosis

    of

    and recommendation

    of

    24

    treatment

    programs

    for cardiac

    and

    cardiovascular conditions and events.

    The

    HunterHcart

    25 Enterprise assets

    which HunterHeart

    retained

    pursuant

    to the

    Agreement

    included all intellectual

    26 properly, customer accounts,

    equipment

    , laboratory tests , license agreements, rights, and other things

    27

    necessary to conduct

    the

    HuntcrHcart business. Pursuant to the Agreement, HunterHeart and not

    28 BRLI

    would

    continue to

    own

    and operate the HuntcrHcart Enterprise after August 7, 2013 .

    2

    COMPL INT

    1

    89

    Despite these material terms ofthe Agreement and HunterHcart s explicit continuing

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    22/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    11

    12

    13

    4

    15

    16

    7

    8

    9

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    legal ownership of certain assets, as identified above, BRLT wrongfully misappropriated HunterHeart

    Enterprise assets for its own benefit and to HunterHeart s detriment in violation

    of

    HunterHcart s

    property rights.

    90. More specifically, at and around the end

    of

    the six (6) month Servicing Period, BRLI

    delayed and in some instances refused to transfer to Hunterlleart contact information, set up sheets,

    physician authorization forms,

    and

    other things which were HunterHeart assets and essential for

    HunterHeart to transition HunterHeart accounts to a new laboratory provider. BRLI similarly

    delayed turning over to HunterHeart essential assets owned by HunterHeart

    in

    the form

    of

    certain

    infonnation and material necessary

    fm

    the new laboratory which HunterHeati had engaged to

    perform

    HDL2b

    testing (an essential unique element

    of

    the HunterHeart basic test panel). As a

    result, HunterHeart was prevented from contacting, setting up, or providing services to many

    customers and impaired in its ability to perform the HDL2b assay and to provide to customers a

    complete testing program.

    91. BRLI s unlawful conversion and manipulation of HunterHcrui propetiy was and is

    unauthorized and intentional

    and

    caused substantial harm to Huntcri-Ieart

    92. As a result of

    BRLI s

    acts

    of

    conversion, HuntcrHeati has been deprived

    of

    its

    1

    property rights and suffered drunages in an amount to be proven at trial. HunterHeart s damages

    exceed the jurisdictional minimum of this Comt.

    93.

    BRLI s

    conduct was willful, wanton, malicious , and oppressive and was untaken with

    the intent to defraud, thereby warranting the assessment of exemplary and punitive damages.

    WHEREFORE, HunterHeart prays for relief as set forth below.

    THIRTEENTH CAUSE OF ACTION

    Unjust Enrichment)

    25 94.

    HuntcrHcart repeats and re-alleges paragraphs 1-93, inclusive, as

    if

    fully set forth

    26 herein.

    27

    28

    2

    95. Hunterl-leart

    conferred

    upon BRLI an

    economic

    bene it

    when

    it entered into the

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    23/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    Agreement

    transfening substantially all

    of

    the operating assets and certain

    of

    the operating liabilities

    of Hunter

    Laboratories, Inc. to ORLI.

    96 . BRLI

    agreed

    as

    an

    express and material

    term ofthe

    Agreement

    that it would take such

    actions as reasonably required

    to

    carry out the intent and puqJoses of the Agreement, including any

    actions necessary to continue to properly operate the

    parties

    respective businesses after

    the

    August 7

    2013 closing date.

    In

    reliance on BRT J s agreement to this

    and other

    provisions, HunterHeart signed

    the

    Agreement. HRLl, however, breached the

    Agreement

    in

    numerous

    respects, as discussed herein,

    and

    received an

    economic

    benefit as a result.

    97

    BRLI s financial benefits resulting from its unlawful

    and

    inequitable conduct are

    11 economically traceable to,

    among

    other things: (i) BRU s material Cailures under

    the

    Agreement as

    12 discussed herein; (ii) BRLI s

    refu

    s

    al

    to pay HunterHeaJi

    any amount

    from revenue derived from

    13

    HunterHca1i customers

    located

    in

    Northern

    California; (iii) BRLI s removal

    of

    the HunterHeart name

    14 and mark from test

    result

    rcp01t fom1s and insertion

    of

    its own name (8RLl) in its place; (iv) BRLI s

    J

    5

    false advertising and

    dissemination of

    false and materially

    misleading

    and deceptive information

    16 regarding

    HunterHeart s

    test panel for purposes

    of

    inducing

    existing

    TiunterHearl customers to

    17

    request

    BRLI ' s ACT

    testing panel; (v) l3RLI's direction to

    its

    phlebotomists

    to replace test

    8 requisitions they received from physicians containing requests for TlunterHeart panels with a new

    19 request form for BRLI s different ACT testing; (vi) BRLI s interference

    with

    existing agreements

    20 between HunterHeart and its customers; (vii) BRLI s offerin g

    of

    the

    HunterHeart

    test panel under the

    21 RRLT

    and/or

    ACT name

    to

    Northern

    California physicians and possible physicians elsewhere; and

    22 (viii) BRLI s failure to

    report and pay

    for revenuet> received for all

    HunterHeart

    clients outside

    23

    Northcm

    California.

    24

    98.

    The

    economic

    benefit from the above actions, among

    other

    actions by BRLI described

    25 herein, arose trom BRLI s unlawful practices and conduct.

    26

    99.

    t would be

    inequitable

    and

    unjust for

    BRLl

    to

    be

    permitted

    to

    retain any

    of

    the

    27

    unlawful proceeds resulting

    from

    i ls fraudulent, illegal, and inequitable conduct.

    28

    1

    100. BRLI has been unjust

    ly

    enriched

    as

    a re

    su

    lt of its wrongful conduct. HunterHemt is

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    24/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10

    1l

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28

    accordingly

    en

    titled to equitable relief including restitution and

    /o

    r disgorgemcnt

    of

    all revenues,

    earnings, profits , compensation, a

    nd

    benefits obtained

    by I3RLI as a

    result

    of

    such misdeeds.

    WHEREFORE, HunterH

    em

    t prays for relief as follows.

    PR YER FOR RELIEF

    WHEREFORE, PlaintitTrequests entry of judgment by this Court:

    A Adjudging and ecreeing that BRLI has engaged in conduct alleged herein ;

    B. Directing an accounting to be had

    ofBRLI s

    sales and profits derived

    from

    its

    unlawful activities;

    C.

    D.

    E

    F.

    G

    II.

    L

    J.

    For damages in an amount to he proven at trial;

    For attorneys fees

    as

    and lo the extent permitted by the Agreement;

    For both pre- ancl post-judgment interest at the maximum allowable

    rate

    on amounts

    awarded;

    For exemplary and punitive damages against

    BRLT

    according

    lo

    proof;

    Awarding Hunterlleart treble damages and costs sustained by reason

    ofHRLl s

    infringement

    of

    the HUNTEKilEART Marks;

    for costs of suit, including reasonable attorneys fees as and to the extent permitted by

    law, including but not limited

    to it

    s reasonable attorneys fees under 15

    U.S.C.

    1117;

    For preliminary and permanent injunctions barring BRLI its agents, servants,

    licensees, partners affiliates employees

    and

    assigns, and all those acting under the

    authority

    of

    or

    in

    privity with it from infringing the HUNTERHRART Registrations

    and/or in any way using the

    llUNT

    ERIIEART Marks in connection with selling,

    offering for sale,

    di

    stributing, advertising medical diagnostic testing services or

    engaging

    in

    unfai r competition;

    Ordering BRLI to destroy or otherwise render innocuous all sales and promotional

    materials bearing the

    HUNTERHEART

    Marks, including but not limited to report

    forms, catalogs, marketing materials, webpages , internet addresses, brochures,

    advertisements and bu siness cards;

    23

    1

    K.

    Directing I3RLI, within thirty 30) days after

    having

    been

    served

    with notice of entry

  • 8/9/2019 Hunterheartvbrlicomplaint8 2014 140930092654 Phpapp01

    25/25

    2

    3

    4

    5

    L.

    of

    udgment

    to file with this Court and to serve upon

    Hunter

    Heart a written report,

    under

    oath,

    se

    tting in fo rth in detail the manner in which BRLI has complied with

    Paragraphs

    J J above, inclusive; and

    For

    such other

    and

    further

    relief

    as

    this

    Court

    deems just

    and proper.

    6 DEM ND FOR JURY TRI L

    7

    Plaintiff HunterHeart demands

    a

    jury

    trial on a

    ll

    claims

    so triable

    in

    this matter.

    8

    9

    10

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    21

    22

    24

    25

    26

    27

    28

    Dated:

    Au

    gust 12,

    2014

    \

    KILPATRICK

    \

    \OWNSEND STOCKTON LLP

    By:

    I ,

    //_

    . , . ,

    .;;

    Jon Michaelson

    Byron Chin

    i '

    Atto

    rneys

    fur

    P l a i n t i ~

    \

    .

    HUNTERHEART

    INC.

    24

    COMPL INT