Opinion ID: 2182893
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of Commendations

Text: Aetna maintained that it was entitled to a new trial because the trial justice committed reversible error by allowing into evidence two commendations given to Skaling by community groups after he was injured, one by a local Cub Scout pack for an Unselfish Act of Heroism, and one by the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Red Cross. According to Aetna, these commendations were not relevant, andtheir admission amounted to impermissible bolstering of Skaling's testimony of his attempt to rescue Webber. We disagree. Decisions concerning the admission or exclusion of evidence on the grounds of relevance are left to the sound discretion of the trial justice. State v. Gabriau, 696 A.2d 290, 294 (R.I.1997). We shall disturb the trial justice's decision only upon an abuse of that discretion. Id. There is no abuse when that discretion has been soundly and judicially exercised    in the light of reason applied to all the facts with a view to the rights of all the parties to the action. Citrone v. SNJ Associates, 682 A.2d 92, 95 (R.I.1996) (quoting DeBartolo v. DiBattista, 117 R.I. 349, 353, 367 A.2d 701, 703 (1976)). In this case, the trial justice could reasonably have determined that the commendations were relevant. To advance Aetna's argument that Skaling was negligent and that his negligence contributed to his own injuries, Aetna's attorney asked Skaling a number of questions designed to show that he was unprepared, possibly inebriated, and reckless in his attempt to rescue Webber. Therefore, the subsequent admission of the commendations could be seen as relevant to the question of whether Skaling's behavior was reckless under the circumstances in which he found himself. Thus, the trial justice did not abuse his discretion by permitting the admission of the commendations, and their admission did not constitute reversible error.