FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT FEB 13, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 15389 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C . D ocketN o. 04 -000 91 -C V -4 C H R I S J A Z A I R I , P l ai nt i ff -C ou nt er D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lla n t, v ersu s R O Y A L O A K S A P A R T M E N T A S S O C I A T E S , L .P ., aP a r e n t C o m p a n y a n d S u b s id ia r ie s , M O R G A N P R O P E R T I E S , L T D ., D ef endant s- C ou nt er C la im a n ts - A p p e lle e s , M I T C H E L L L . M O R G A N P R O P E R T I E S , I N C . d .b .a . R o y a l O a k s A p a rtm e n t A s s o c ia te s , L .P ., a .k .aM o r g a n P r o p e rtie s , I n c ., D e f e n d a n t, J O H N I - X D O E S , M I T C H E L L L . M O R G A N M A N A G E M E N T , I N C ., D e f e n d a n ts - A p p e lle e s .2 ________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e S o u th e rn D is tr ic t o f G e o r g ia

_________________________ ( F e b r u ar y 13, 2007) B efo re T JO F L A T , H U L L an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: C hri s J az ai ri appeal s the deci si on of the di stri ctcourtt o excl ud e the expert t e s t i m ony of

D r . E c kha r dtJ oha nni ng unde rD aube rtv. M e rr e l l D ow P harm ac eut i ca l s, 50 9 U . S . 57 9, 11 3 S . C t . 27 86 (199 3). D r. Johann i ng di agno se d Ja za i ri w i th a “ re sol ved o r r es ol vi ng ” a l l er gi c i nfl am m at ory l un g ai l m entand w as prepare d t o t es t i fythatan i nd et erm i nat e a m ou ntof no n-t ox i c m ol d o r m ol d-re l at ed ba c t e r i adi s c ove r e d i n J a z a i r i ’ s apa rtm e nt , w hi c h w a s ow ne d a nd ope r a t e d by Ro y a l O a k s A p a rtme n tA s s o c i a t e s , c au s e d th i s a i l me n t . W e a f f i rm. I . B AC KG RO UN D Ja za i ri and h erroom m at e m ov ed i nt o an apartm entatR oyal O aks i n M ay 2002. T w o m onths l a t e r , the y not i c e d m ol d on the i rw a l l s a nd f l oor s a nd c om pl a i ne d t o the c ounty he a l th de pa rtm e nt . T he he a l th de pa rtm e ntf ound e v id e n c e o f

w a te rin tru s io n a n d in s tru c te d R o y a l O a k s to r e m e d yth e ap a rtm e n t in ac cordance w i th E P A gu i del i nes. S am pl es t aken by the heal th d epartm entre veal ed3

s e v e r a l g e n u s o f

mo l d : Str a c h yb o try s c h a rt a ru m, A s p e r g i l u s s , A u r e o b a s i d i u m, C la d o s p r iu m , a n d A lte rn a r ia n . In A u g u st , Jazai ri w en tt o th e em erg en cy ro o m co m p l ai n i n g o f m em o ry l o ss, fa t i gu e and m al ai se . A n x -r ayre veal ed i nt er st i t i al thi ckeni ng i n h erl un gs. In S e pt e m be r , D r . R obe rtR e m l e rdi a gnos e d J a z a i r i w i th i nt e r s t i t i a l f i br os i s –the s c a rr in g o f

lu n g tis s u e b e tw e e n th e a irs a c s – a n d r e f e rr e d h e rto D r . P a tr ic ia C ons t a nz o, al ung s pe c i a l i s t . O n O c t obe r1, 2002, J a z a i r i l e f tthe apa rtm e ntt o l i ve in ate n t o n u n d e v e lo p e d p r o p e rty , a n d th e n , a f te ram o n th o rtw o , m o v e d in to a n o th e rap a rtm e n t. O n O c tr obe r24, 2002, J a z a i r i vi s i t e d D r . C ons t a nz o a nd c om pl a i ne d of l ung sy m pt om s s uch as s ho rtness of brea th, coug hi ng , and chestpai ns. D r. C on st anzo not e d tha tJ a z a i r i ha d s m oke d apa c k of c i ga r e tt e s ada yf

ortw e ntyy e a r s a nd sugg es t ed a s er i es of t es t s t o d et erm i ne the tre atm entof her i nt er st i t i al fi brosi s. In F e brua ry , 2003, D r . C ons t a nz o pe r f orm e d af

i be r opt i c br onc hos c opy a nd di s c ove r e d no f

unga l gr ow th i n J a z a i r i ’ s l ungs . W hi l e notrul i ng outhype r s e ns i t i ve pn eum on i t i s ( H P ), an al l er gi c r ea ct i on t o m ol d spo re s, D r. C on st anzo concl ud ed th a t th e f in d in g s w e r e m o r e s u g g e s tiv e o f c h r o n ic b r o n c h itis c au s e d b yc ig a r e tte sm o k i n g . D r. C o n st an zo p rescri b ed A d v ai r, w h i ch w o u l d ease b reath i n g reg ard l ess o f th e cau se o f th e i n t erst i t i al fi b ro si s.4

J a z a i r i ap p a r e n t l y d i d n o tf i l l Dr . C o n s t a n z o ’ s p r e s c r i p t i o n . I n s t e a d , two t i m e s ove rthe ne xty e a r , s he vi s i t e d D r . E c ke r dtJ oha nni ng i n A l ba ny , N e w Y ork, adoc t orof

e nvi r onm e nt a l a nd oc c upa t i ona l m e di c i ne w i th as pe c i a l tyi n m ol dc aus e d i l l ne s s e s . D r . J oha nni ng t e s t e d J a z a i r i f orm oi s tur e - r e l a t e d a l l e r ge ns , but notf orout doora l l e r gi e s , a nd di s c ove r e d no a l l e r gi c r e a c t i on. H e t e s t e d he rf or s e ns i t i vi ty t o s pe c i f

i c m ol d s pe c i e s a nd di s c ove r e d tha tJ a z a i r i w a s a l l e r gi c t o T e rm oa c t i nom y c e s , aba c t e r i a , butnota nyge nus of m ol d. D r . J oha nni ng f ound ant i bo di es i n Jaz ai ri ’ s bl oo dstre am consi st entw i th exp osure t o b ac t er i a. O n h er seco n d v i si t , Jazai ri ’ s C T scan s sh o w ed th ath er i n t erst i t i al m ark i n g s h ad al m o st c l e a r e d. D r . J oha nni ng di a gnos e d J a z a i r i w i th r e s ol ve d orr e s ol vi ng H P c aus e d by expo sure t o a “ cockt ai l ” of m ol d and bact er i a. D r. Johann i ng re as on ed that s m oki ng e f

f e c t s a r e us ua l l y i rr e ve r s i bl e , tha tJ a z a i r i i s t oo y oung a t38 t o ha ve s m o k in g e f

f e c ts , a n d th a t th e X - r a yf in d in g s w e r e m o r e c o n s is te n t w ith a n a lle r g ic l un g p robl em than w i th asthm at i c bronchi t i s. Ja za i ri re po rt ed a l i t any of other sy m pt om s, as vari ed as j oi ntpai n, pani c a tt ac ks, and b l urre d v i si on , bu tD r. Johann i ng sugg es t ed thattho se sy m pt om s w er e due t o al coho l consum pt i on or a psyc hi atri c c on di t i on . A l tho ug h D r. Johann i ng ob se rved thatJa za i ri ’ s i nt er st i t i al m a rki ngs ha ve c l e a r e d, J a z a i r i c ont i nue s t o c om pl a i n of c oughi ng, c he s tpa i n, a nd5

s hortne s s of

br e a th. J a z a ir i s u e d R o y a l O a k s a n d s u b m itte d th e a f f id a v it o f D r . J o h a n n in g in r e s p o n s e to as u m m a ry ju d g m e n t m o tio n b yR o y a l O a k s . R o y a l O a k s m o v e d to s tr i ke D r . J oha nni ng’ s a f f i da vi tunde rD aube rt , a nd the di s tr i c tc ourtgr a nt e d the m ot i on. T he di s tr i c tc ourtc onc l ude d tha tD r . J oha nni ng’ s di a gnos i s w a s not s c ie n tif ic a llya c c e p tab le . T h e d is tr ic t c o u rt r e a s o n e d th a t D r . J o h a n n in g f a ile d to

“ rul e i n” m ol d a s the s our c e of J a z a i r i ’ s s y m pt om s , f

a i l e d t o “ rul e out ” s m oki ng or c o m m o n a lle r g e n s lik e p e t d a n d e r , a n d o v e r - r e lie d o n th e te m p o r a l p r o x im ity be tw e e n the m ol d e xpos ur e a nd the on- s e tof J a z a i r i ’ s s y m pt om s . A f t e rdi s c a r di ng D r. Johann i ng ’ s t es t i m on y, the di stri ctcourthel d thatJa za i ri fa i l ed t o cre at e a genu i ne i ss ue of m at er i al fa ctabou tspec i fi c c ausa t i on and g rant ed sum m ary j u d g m en tfo r R o yal O ak s. I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e r evi ew the di stri ctcourt ’ s e xcl usi on of t es t i m on y und erD aubert , for an abus e of di s c r e t i on. G e n. E l e c . C o. v. J oi ne r , 522 U . S . 136, 141, 118 S . C t . 512, 517 ( 1997) . “ W e r e c ogni z e as i gni f i c a ntr a nge of

c hoi c e f orthe di s tr i c tc ourton e v id e n tia ry is s u e s , w h ic h is to s a y w e d e f e rto its d e c is io n s to ac o n s id e r ab le ext ent . ” M cC orvey v. B axt erH ea l thcar e C orp. , 29 8 F . 3d 12 53 , 12 57 (11th C i r. 20 02 ).6 I I I . DI S CUS S I ON Ja za i ri ar gu es thatthe di stri ctcourt“ appl i ed an art i fi ci al l y e l evat ed st andard i n c ons i de r i ng the m e di c a l opi ni on of D r . J oha nni ng” a nd e rr one ous l ym a de f i ndi ngs of

f a c ta ts um m a ry j udgm e nt . W e di s a gr e e . E xpe rtt e s t i m ony s houl d be a dm i tt e d “ i f

( 1) the t e s t i m ony i s ba s e d upon s uf f i c i e ntf a c t s orda t a , ( 2) the t es t i m on y i s the prod uctof re l i abl e pri nci pl es and m etho ds, and (3) the w i tness has appl i e d the pr i nc i pl e s a nd m e thods r e l i abl yt o the f a c t s of the c a s e . ” F e d. R . E vi d. 702; s e e a l s o D aube rt , 509 U . S . a t590, 113 S . C ta t2795. “ T he bur de n of e s t abl i s hi ng qua l i f

i c a t i on, r e l i abi l i ty , a nd he l pf ul ne s s r e s t s on the pr opone ntof the expertop i ni on . . . . ” U ni t ed S t at es v. F ra zi er , 38 7 F . 3d 12 44 , 12 60 (11th C i r. 20 04 ). T he focus of the re l i abi l i ty i nq ui ryshou l d b e on m etho do l og y but“ even w he n a n e xpe rti s us i ng r e l i abl e pr i nc i pl e s a nd m e thods . . . the r e [ c a nnotbe ] t oo g r e a t a n a n a ly tic a l g ap b e tw e e n th e d a taa n d th e o p in io n p r o f f e r e d .” I d . a t 1 2 7 6 . E xp ertt es t i m on y s ho ul d n otbe base d sol el y on t em po ra l prox i m i ty and anec do t al evi dence. A l l i son v . M cG han M ed. C orp. , 18 4 F . 3d 13 00 , 13 12 (11th C i r. 19 99 ). T h e m e d ic a l c o m m u n ityr e c o g n iz e s th a t a n a lle r g ic r e a c tio n s im ila rto Ja za i ri ’ s c an occur w hen a se nsi t i ve i nd i vi du al i s e xp osed t o an al l er gen, so D r. J oha nni ng’ s t e s t i m ony i s ne c e s s a ryonl yt o s how tha tthe m ol dyc ondi t i ons of J a z a i r i ’ s apa rtm e ntw e r e the s pe c i f i c c aus e of

he rs y m pt om s . D r . J oha nnni ng7

e m pl oy e d adi f

f e r e nt i a l di a gnos i s m e thodol ogy ; he i de nt i f i e d l i ke l yc aus e s of J a z a i r i ’ s s y mp t o ms a n d , b y p r o c e s s o f e l i mi n a t i o n , d e d u c e d th a th e rs y mp t o ms w er e m ostl i kel y c ause d b y e xp osure t o a m i x o f bac t er i a and m ol d. T he re cord r e f le c ts th a t d if

f e r e n tia l d ia g n o s is is w id e lya c c e p te d b yth e m e d ic a l c o m m u n ity . A l tho ug h rec og ni zi ng D r. Johann i ng ’ s e xp ert i se i n env i ronm ent al i l l ness es and credi t i ng the m etho do l og y of di ff er ent i al di agno si s, the di stri ctcourt concl ud ed thatD r. Johann i ng ’ s t es t i m on y s t i l l fa i l ed t o surpass the D aubert thres ho l d. W e a gree . T he re cord show s thatH P i s an al l er gi c r ea ct i on thatoccurs w hen a hypers ensi t i ve i nd i vi du al i s e xp osed t o h i gh do sa ges of m ol d spo re s. D r. J o h a n n in g te s te d J a z a ir i f o rm o ld a lle r g ie s , f

o u n d th a t s h e h a d n o n e , a n d ap p a r e n tly di d notc onc l ude tha tJ a z a i r i s uf f e r e d s y m pt om s due t o e xpos ur e t o a nyof the m ol ds thatw er e pre se nti n h erapartm ent . T o the ext entthatD r. Johann i ng w as prepare d t o t es t i fythatthe m ol d i n Jaz ai ri ’ s apartm entcaused her c on di t i on s, D r. J oha nni ng’ s t e s t i m ony w oul d ha ve be e n ba s e d s ol e l yon t e m por a l pr oxi m i tya nd a n e c d o ta l e v id e n c e . I t w a s w ith in th e d is c r e tio n o f th e d is tr ic t c o u rt to e x c lu d e it. A l though D r . J oha nni ng i de nt i f i e d the ba c t e r i aT e rm oa c t i nom y c e s a s the cause of J az ai ri ’ s i l l ness , D r. Johann i ng ’ s opi ni on on thati ss ue di d n otcr ea t e a genu i ne i ss ue of m at er i al fa ct . A s the di stri ctcourtexpl ai ned, there i s no evi dence th a t T e rm o a c tin o m y c e s w a s p r e s e n t in J a z a ir i’s ap a rtm e n t b e c au s e th e c o u n ty8

he a l th de pa rtm e ntdi d nott e s tf orba c t e r i a . J a z a i r i s ubm i tt e d s om e a rt i c l e s f r om m e d ic a l a n d s c ie n tif

ic jo u rn a ls th a t s h o w T e rm o a c tin o m y c e s c a n g r o w in a ir cond i t i on er s and hu m i di fi er s, bu tthere i s no evi dence l i nk i ng T erm oact i no m yc es w ith in d o o rm o ld . I n f

a c t, J a z ia r i’s a rtic le s e x p la in th a t T e rm o a c tin o m y c e s is u s u a llyf o u n d in h a y , s tr a w , a n d g r a in . B e c au s e th e r e w a s n o e v id e n c e th a t w o u ld allo w a r ea so n ab le in fe re n ce th at T er m o ac ti n o m yc es w as p re se n t i n Ja za iri’ s apa rtm e nt , s um m a ry j udgm e ntw a s appr opr i a t e . S e e , e . g. , S a nde r s v. C ow a rt , 231 Ga . Ap p . 3 0 3 , 3 0 4 , 4 9 9 S . E . 2 d 1 0 3 , 1 0 4 ( 1 9 9 8 ) ( “ [ T ] h e p l a i n t i f f m u s ts h o w a pr obabi l i ty r a the rtha n m e r e l y apos s i bi l i tytha tthe a l l e ge d ne gl i ge nc e c aus e d the i nj ury. ”) . I V . CONCL US I ON S u m m ary j u d g m en ti n fav o r o f R o yal O ak s i s A FFI R M ED .