Opinion ID: 1824124
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Can Dr. Longmore testify as an expert witness in this case?

Text: Because Dr. Roberts does not qualify as a specialist under subsection (c), subsection (b) of § 6-5-548 applies and this Court must ascertain whether Dr. Longmore is a similarly situated health care provider under this subsection. As previously stated, subsection (b) provides that in order to testify against a health-care provider whose acts created the cause of action, a similarly situated health care provider is one who (1) is licensed to practice medicine in this state or another state, (2) is trained and experienced in the same discipline or school of practice, and (3) has practiced in the same discipline or school of practice during the year preceding the date of the alleged breach of the standard of care. The record indicates that Dr. Longmore, who is a medical doctor, is licensed to practice medicine in New York. (Longmore's Curriculum Vitae, R. at 264.) Thus, he meets the first criterion under subsection (b). The second criterion requires that Dr. Longmore have training and experience in the same field. In Husby v. South Alabama Nursing Home, Inc., 712 So.2d 750 (Ala.1998), this Court explained that subsection (b)(2) requires that a nonspecialist be trained in the practice in which the alleged breach occurred. 712 So.2d at 753. Thus, in order to testify about the breach of the standard of care in this case, Dr. Longmore would need to have had training and experience in emergency medicine. His curriculum vitae, which is part of the record, indicates that he has over 24 years' experience in emergency medicine. (R. at 264.) We hold that this is sufficient to meet the training and experience requirement of subsection (b). Finally, Dr. Longmore's curriculum vitae shows that one year before the date of the alleged breach in this case, Dr. Longmore was serving as the director of emergency services for Bronx Lebanon Hospital in New York City. (R. at 265.) Thus, he meets the third criterion under subsection (b). Because Dr. Longmore meets the requirements of a similarly situated health care provider, as defined in § 6-5-548(b), he can testify in this case as an expert witness about the alleged breach of the standard of care. Furthermore, we note that the Court of Civil Appeals should have addressed the remaining issue raised by Melanie in her brief on appeal to the Court of Civil Appealswhether the trial court properly ruled on the proximate-cause issue. Therefore, we reverse the judgment of the Court of Civil Appeals and remand this case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion and specifically for consideration of the proximate-cause issue. REVERSED AND REMANDED. MOORE, C.J., and SEE, LYONS, BROWN, JOHNSTONE, HARWOOD, WOODALL, and STUART, JJ., concur.