Opinion ID: 1452613
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Dr Levine's testimony

Text: At trial, Dr. Levine did not testify in person. Instead, his deposition transcript was read into the record. Dr. Prabhu contends that the district court erred in admitting Dr. Levine's deposition testimony because his deposition was taken only twelve days before trial and because prior to the deposition, Ms. Franco had designated him only as a treating physician. In addition, Dr. Prabhu points out that Ms. Franco never supplemented her interrogatory responses to identify Dr. Levine as an expert witness. According to Dr. Prabhu, his counsel was forced to cross-examine Dr. Levine without prior knowledge that Dr. Levine would answer questions regarding the standard of care and causation. Dr. Prabhu asserts that Ms. Franco's failure to identify Dr. Levine at an earlier time violated NRCP 26 and that Dr. Levine's testimony, in this regard, should have been excluded. [3] NRS 50.275 provides that [i]f scientific, technical or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by special knowledge, skill, experience, training or education may testify to matters within the scope of such knowledge. This court has previously determined that [t]he threshold test for the admissibility of testimony by a qualified expert is whether the expert's specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or determine a fact in issue. The goal of course, is to provide the trier of fact a resource for ascertaining truth in relevant areas outside the ken of ordinary laity. Townsend v. State, 103 Nev. 113, 117, 734 P.2d 705, 708 (1987). In addition, we have recognized that [a] decision concerning the competency of a witness to offer an opinion as an expert is within the sound discretion of the trial court[,] and the ruling will not be disturbed unless a clear abuse of the court's discretion is shown. Cheyenne Construction v. Hozz, 102 Nev. 308, 311, 720 P.2d 1224, 1226 (1986). Here, Dr. Levine was not designated as an expert witness. He was, however, designated as a witness, albeit as a treating physician. In addition, Dr. Prabhu's counsel attended the deposition and cross-examined Dr. Levine regarding the pertinent standard of care and causation. The district court determined that Dr. Levine's testimony should be admitted, and we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in so ruling.