Opinion ID: 1631067
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Exclusion of R & R's carrier rating

Text: ś 29. Carla argues that the trial court erred by excluding evidence of R & R's carrier rating. She contends that the rating was relevant because it showed a pattern and practice of not following the FMCSRs, and it was a proximate cause of the accident. The trial court excluded the evidence, finding it too remote to have relevance to the issue involved in the litigation at hand. ś 30. Carla did not specifically identify the violations at issue. The carrier rating at issue was for violations occurring after the date of Preston's wreck, and none of the violations involved a violation for non-use of reflective tape. [3] Further, the overall carrier rating was satisfactory. Notwithstanding this, the carrier rating was not relevant under Rule 401 to the litigation that arose from Preston's death. Carla's main contention was that the tractor-trailer did not have any reflective tape on the back panel. Further, the trial court gave an instruction that stated that R & R and Hunter had violated the FMCSRs and were negligent. Therefore, the trial court did not err by excluding the carrier rating.