Opinion ID: 1360544
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Relevance of Post-incident Publications.

Text: First, Surgidev contends that articles published after Gonzales's and Garduno's lens implants in May 1985 were improperly admitted to prove that Surgidev knew of the lens defects before Plaintiffs' surgeries. However, as the trial court correctly noted, although this evidence could not be used to show that Surgidev knew of the lens defects, it was relevant to Surgidev's mental state for purposes of awarding punitive damages. See Clay v. Ferrellgas, Inc., 118 N.M. 266, 272 n. 4, 881 P.2d 11, 17 n. 4 (1994) (admitting evidence not related to underlying claim but relevant to mental state for punitive damages), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 1102, 130 L.Ed.2d 1069 (1995). The same is true for evidence that the FDA returned the Style 10 to core status in 1986. All of this evidence pertained to information available before 1988 when Surgidev last marketed the Style 10 lens. Thus, it was properly admitted to demonstrate Surgidev's mental state in continuing to market the Style 10 lens in light of mounting information showing problems with the Style 10 lens.