Opinion ID: 463816
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Dr. Daniel Teitelbaum

Text: 12 Dr. Teitelbaum testified that Mr. Perry's injuries were primarily thermal burns and that there was a very small probability of any significant injury due to exposure to hydrogen peroxide. In arriving at that conclusion, he discussed the properties of Mr. Perry's protective suit. He also testified that appellants' treatment for Mr. Perry's injuries was reasonable and proper. Appellants object to the district court's ruling which permitted Dr. Teitelbaum to testify despite not being listed in the Amended Pretrial Order. 13 Dr. Teitelbaum was initially listed as a witness in St. Anthony Hospital Systems' September 21, 1981, Pretrial Statement and was expected to testify about the nature of hydrogen peroxide and the accepted standard of care for the treatment of hydrogen peroxide burns. Appellant concedes that Dr. Teitelbaum's name appeared in the initial Pretrial Order. On April 11, 1983, appellant moved to amend the Pretrial Order so as to include additional witnesses and exhibits. While the Pretrial Order was being redrafted, appellees requested that the Amended Pretrial Order provide that any party could call any witness listed by any other party. The Amended Pretrial Order contains this provision. St. Anthony Hospital Systems had been dismissed from the suit in March, 1982, and Dr. Teitelbaum's name was omitted from the Amended Pretrial Order. Noting this omission, appellees advised appellants by letter dated April 29, 1983, that they intended to call Dr. Teitelbaum and described the nature of his expected testimony. 14 Being aware of this procedural background, the district court found that the provision relating to calling witnesses by any other party was ambiguous and that the April 29th letter clarified appellees' intentions. It also found that there was no surprise, but advised appellants that they would be given additional time to prepare for cross-examination if it would be needed. Appellants were given additional time to review Dr. Teitelbaum's files. 15 In view of these circumstances, it was not an abuse of discretion for the district judge to permit Dr. Teitelbaum to testify. Courts should not be inflexible in interpreting pretrial orders. Stone v. First Wyoming Bank, 625 F.2d 332, 347 (10th Cir.1980). As Judge Christenson observed, A policy of too-easy modification [of pretrial orders] not only encourages carelessness in the preparation and approval of the initial order, but unduly discounts it as the governing pattern of the trial. On the other hand, an unswerving insistence upon every provision, under all circumstances, may work grave injustice in individual cases.... Honorable A. Sherman Christenson, The Pretrial Order, 29 F.R.D. 362, 371 (1961), cited with approval in Case v. Abrams, 352 F.2d 193, 195 (10th Cir.1965). Appellants were adequately informed that Dr. Teitelbaum would testify and of the nature of his testimony, and were given an opportunity for further preparation during trial. Because appellants were not surprised or prejudiced by the court's ruling in this matter, there was no abuse of discretion.