Opinion ID: 2116971
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Improper Expert Opinion Testimony.

Text: Iowa Rule of Civil Procedure 125(d) provides, in pertinent part: [T]he expert's testimony at trial may not be inconsistent with or go beyond the fair scope of the expert's testimony in the discovery proceedings as set forth in the expert's deposition, answer to interrogatories, separate report, or supplement thereto. Defendant McClain, in his supplemental answer to interrogatories, identified Dr. Stiehl as a medical expert and stated he would testify upon the subject matter of orthopedic standard of care and causation. A letter was attached setting out the substance of the facts and opinions to which Stiehl expected to testify. The letter contained no specific statement regarding causation. At trial, McClain's counsel called Stiehl as an expert witness. On direct examination, Stiehl was not questioned regarding causation. Following cross-examination by Vachons' counsel, Stiehl was examined by counsel for Wood and Broadlawns. Stiehl testified, without objection, that had there not been other factors such as the severity of the injury, he would have expected the leg to recover fairly normally following the fasciotomy by Dr. Nepola. When Stiehl was asked his opinion as to why Vachon lost his leg, plaintiffs' counsel raised as an objection that the question was outside the scope of the doctor's letter. The court overruled Vachons' objection, stating the question was within the fair scope of the letter. Posttrial, Vachons made a motion for a new trial again urging Stiehl's testimony as to causation was in violation of rule 125(d). The court overruled this motion, stating: The plaintiffs here argue that the Court erred in allowing Dr. Stiehl to go beyond the fair scope of the experts answer to interrogatories. Plaintiffs accordingly allege that they were surprised and prejudiced, and that the testimony was in violation of I.R.C.P. 125(d). Matters relating to the potential exclusion of an expert witness's testimony are ordinarily left to the discretion of the trial court. See Lambert v. Sisters of Mercy Health Corp., 469 [369] N.W.2d 417, 421 (Iowa 1985), and Preferred Marketing v. Hawkeye Nat'l Life, 452 N.W.2d 389 (Iowa 1990). This Court again having reviewed this matter, finds its discretion was properly exercised in allowing the testimony given. The trial court is vested with broad discretion in determining the fair scope of an expert's testimony under rule 125(d). Once the decision has been reached, it will not be overturned without a finding of an abuse of discretion. The purpose of rule 125(d) is to avoid surprise to the litigants and to permit issues to become both defined and refined before trial. Mercy Hosp. v. Hansen, Lind & Meyer, 456 N.W.2d 666, 670 (Iowa 1990). Vachons were not surprised that Stiehl and defendants' expert witness Dr. Nepola would testify as to causation. During opening statements, plaintiffs' counsel stated: The Plaintiffs, the Vachons, have doctors that will come and testify and give you their opinions, and their opinions will be that Broadlawns Medical Association, Broadlawns Medical Center, Dr. Wood, and Dr. McClain, failed to diagnose and treat the compartment syndrome and monitor it and perform a fasciotomy, and that failure to do so resulted in the amputation. The Doctors will have their experts that come in and their experts will say that No, the blow from the car to the right calf was of such a severe force that the leg could not have survived no matter what was done to save it. These remarks illustrate an awareness that both defense experts would testify as to causation. Even assuming Vachons were surprised by Stiehl's testimony, they were not prejudiced by it. Stiehl's causation testimony was neither new, nor different, than the testimony of Dr. Nepola. Nor can Vachons claim prejudice when the issue of causation was not reached by the jury. The jury's verdict found the defendants were not negligent. Because of this verdict, the jury was not required to determine if the negligence of the defendants was a proximate cause of the damages to Vachon. The trial court's decision to allow Stiehl's testimony was not reversible error.