Opinion ID: 884953
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: issues

Text: ¶ 46 Did the District Court err when it allowed evidence and testimony regarding James Wells' blood alcohol content and evidence regarding the amount of alcohol James Wells consumed prior to arriving at the Town Tavern? ¶ 47 We have held that a district court has broad discretion to determine whether evidence is admissible, and its evidentiary rulings should not be overturned absent an abuse of discretion. See Bueling v. Swift, 1998 MT 112, ¶ 24, 288 Mont. 472, ¶ 24, 958 P.2d 694, ¶ 24. ¶ 48 At trial, Mortensen contended that the test results of Wells' blood alcohol content taken by the hospital shortly after the incident were not admissible because the standard for civil liability pursuant to § 27-1-710, MCA, is visible intoxication, rather than legal intoxication. The District Court granted Mortensen's motion in limine and refused evidence of the BAC test results. The District Court later held, however, that if Cusenbary's expert on the issue of blood alcohol content, toxicologist Dr. Brian Finkle, could be qualified to give an opinion of blood alcohol content from a hypothetical situation, rather than from the hospital's BAC test results, then the court would allow the opinion. Based upon the District Court's ruling, Cusenbary did not introduce any evidence of the BAC test results from the hospital. Instead, Cusenbary's counsel asked Dr. Finkle a hypothetical based upon the testimony of Wells in which he had to estimate Wells' BAC content on the evening in question based upon Wells' own testimony of the number of drinks he consumed that evening. ¶ 49 Mortensen asserts that Dr. Finkle's estimate of blood alcohol content should be excluded because eye witness testimony is the only kind of evidence that is relevant to the issue of how Wells appeared. However, Dr. Finkle expressly testified that there is a direct correlation between the level of alcohol in a person's blood and observable signs of intoxication. Dr. Finkle explained that the subjective, observable signs of intoxication include slurred speech, staggered walk, talkativeness, and fighting behavior. He explained that the more a person drinks the more severe and obvious the symptoms of intoxication become because there is a proportional relationship to the rising blood alcohol concentration and the severity of the symptoms of intoxication. ¶ 50 It is apparent that the District Court agreed with Mortensen's contention that the BAC test results were not probative of the issue of visible intoxication at the time that Wells was served alcohol. However, based upon a hypothetical set of facts taken directly from the testimony of Wells and relating to the amount of alcohol consumed, the rate of consumption, and other variables, Dr. Finkle was able to estimate a range of Wells' probable blood alcohol concentration at the time of the accident. Thus, Dr. Finkle's testimony is not based upon BAC test results taken after the accident. Rather, he provided expert opinion testimony concerning his estimate of Wells' blood alcohol concentration at the time of the accident. As explained by Dr. Finkle, blood alcohol concentration at the time of the accident is directly related to the visible signs of intoxication that a person may exhibit. ¶ 51 Accordingly, based upon Dr. Finkle's estimate of blood alcohol concentration, it was probable that Wells was displaying observable signs of intoxication while served alcohol by Mortensen. Therefore, we conclude that Dr. Finkle's opinion was relevant pursuant to Rule 401, M.R.Evid., and the District Court did not abuse its discretion.