Quincy-based Compass Medical ordered to pay $16 million to Steward Health Care

BOSTON – A Quincy-based medical group was ordered to pay more than $16 million in damages to the Steward Health Care System for fraud after a partnership between the two companies turned ugly.

Compass Medical had sued Steward, owner of the now-closed Quincy Medical Center, for more than $80 million in damages, claiming that Steward had breached a services agreement by failing to pay bonuses to its doctors and rent for equipment and office space.

A Suffolk County jury, however, rejected all of Compass Medical’s claims, finding instead that it had committed fraud against Steward and awarding the Dallas-based company the damages it sought.

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“This is a tremendous vindication for Steward Medical after years of litigation. We are grateful to the careful work done by the jury in this case,” said attorney Howard Cooper, of Todd & Weld LLP in Boston, who represented Steward Medical at the four-week trial.

Compass Medical has clinics in Quincy, Braintree and East Bridgewater, among others.

“We fought for five years for our day in court and spent the past four weeks presenting witnesses and evidence to support our claims. We are disappointed by, and disagree with, the jury’s decision," Compass Medical CEO Jamie Barber said in a statement. "This matter is not over. Additional claims by Compass remain under consideration by the court and the court has yet to issue a final judgement. We will continue to vigorously pursue this matter.”

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy-based Compass Medical ordered to pay $16 million to Steward