Opinion ID: 2750933
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Alleged Errors

Text: Having set forth what I believe to be the appropriate test for harmless error in civil cases, I now address the two specific instances of alleged error in this case. In short, I agree with the majority’s conclusion as to the first, but disagree as to the second. A. Exclusion of Cross-Examination Concerning AFE Although I disagree with this Court’s adoption of the same test for harmless error in civil cases as the Court applies in criminal cases, I agree with the majority that the error in restricting the cross-examination of the defense expert regarding the overdiagnosis of AFE was not harmless error, regardless of which standard is applied. Because the focus of the entire case revolved around whether Susan Special’s death was caused by medical malpractice or AFE, the limitation on the cross-examination and the acknowledgment by the defense’s own expert concerning the possibility of overdiagnosis of AFE cannot be said to amount to harmless error. That is, Baux and West Boca have not demonstrated that it is more likely than not that the exclusion of this testimony did not contribute to the jury’s verdict finding the defendants not liable. This testimony directly called into question the credibility of the AFE diagnosis in this case, particularly because AFE is a diagnosis of exclusion, and unduly restricted Special’s ability to undermine the defense expert’s testimony in the minds of the jurors. - 41 - Further, I agree that the ability of trial counsel to argue about overdiagnosis in closing is not a substitute for having the defense’s own expert acknowledge the overdiagnosis of AFE, where the competing expert opinions were the focal point of this medical malpractice case. See Linn v. Fossum, 946 So. 2d 1032, 1041 (Fla. 2006) (“We conclude that the trial court erred in allowing Dr. Weaver-Osterholtz to testify that she consulted with colleagues and that this error was not harmless because the competing expert opinions on the proper standard of care were the focal point of this medical malpractice trial.”); see also Donshik v. Sherman, 861 So. 2d 53, 56 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003) (“Where, as here, the competing expert opinions, on both sides, were the focal point of the trial, we cannot deem the error in the introduction of the ACAS report to be harmless.”). Accordingly, because the trial court’s error in restricting the crossexamination of the defense expert was not harmless, a new trial is warranted. B. Exclusion of Testimony Concerning Alleged Witness Tampering Lastly, based on the record before the trial court, I disagree with the majority that there was any error in disallowing testimony of the deputy medical examiner, Dr. Barbara Wolf, on what the plaintiff alleged to be “witness tampering.” I deplore, as does this Court, any threats or attempts at intimidation attributable to the adverse party. The key, however, is that the proper predicate must be laid to show that it was the adverse party or its agent that made the threats or attempted to - 42 - intimidate a witness. To allow a party to argue witness intimidation where there is insufficient evidence demonstrating that this is what occurred is incredibly prejudicial to the party being accused of the improper conduct. See Penalver v. State, 926 So. 2d 1118, 1129-30 (Fla. 2006). The majority, in fact, recognizes this critical point in correctly concluding that there was an insufficient factual basis to attribute the Department of Health complaint against Dr. Wolf to the defendants and that this evidence was therefore properly excluded. However, as to the pre-deposition comments allegedly made to Dr. Wolf by her attorney, neither Dr. Wolf’s attorney nor Baux’s defense attorney, the original declarant, testified as to what was said. Therefore, as the trial court properly recognized, the double hearsay issue with these alleged statements presents a threshold problem for their admission. Moreover, simply being provided with photographs of slides taken by another expert, Dr. Factor, does not, in itself, amount to witness intimidation. There would have been nothing wrong with the plaintiff asking Dr. Wolf at trial if her attorney showed her photographs of slides taken by Dr. Factor before her deposition and whether that changed her opinion regarding her conclusion about the cause of death. That is a far cry, though, from allowing the plaintiff to argue to the jury that agents of the defense attempted to intimidate the witness and that those actions are evidence of their culpability. - 43 - It may be that in a new trial, a more specific nexus can be established with the defendants’ alleged actions to pressure Dr. Wolf to change her testimony, including testimony from either of the two attorneys who engaged in the alleged conversation. The current record, however, is devoid of anything but hearsay and attenuated connections, with speculation having to fill the missing pieces. While I do not object to the further development of facts on this issue on remand, I would affirm the trial court’s decision to exclude the evidence based on the facts as presented.