Lessee's Claim for Business Goodwill in Expropriation Fails

A lessee, whose business premises were expropriated by a public entity for a road expansion project, appealed a decision that awarded damages based solely on the market value of the property at the time of the taking, arguing that the expropriation effectively destroyed their established business and thus warranted compensation for the loss of clientele and business value, not just the property itself. The court rejected the appeal, reasoning that in expropriation proceedings, the compensation must be strictly limited to the indemnity for the loss of the property rights taken, which is assessed based on the market value of the real estate, and that damages for the resulting loss of business goodwill or clientele are not recoverable under expropriation law.