Opinion ID: 1631067
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidentiary and Procedural Issues

Text: ś 4. This Court has held that the standard of review for a trial court's decision to either admit or exclude evidence is abuse of discretion. Robinson Prop. Group, L.P. v. Mitchell, 7 So.3d 240, 243 (Miss.2009); Beverly Enters., Inc. v. Reed, 961 So.2d 40, 44 (Miss.2007). The appellate courts will not reverse a ruling to admit or exclude evidence unless a substantial right of a party is adversely affected. Mitchell, 7 So.3d at 243. ś 5. Mississippi Rules of Evidence 401, 402, and 403 address what evidence is relevant and when relevant evidence, nevertheless, may be excluded. Rule 401 states: Relevant Evidence means evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. ś 6. Mississippi Rule of Evidence 402 states: All relevant evidence is admissible, except as otherwise provided by the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Mississippi, or by these rules. Evidence which is not relevant is not admissible. ś 7. Mississippi Rule of Evidence 403 states: Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. ś 8. The standard of review for the admission or suppression of evidence, including expert testimony, is an abuse of discretion. Poole ex rel. Wrongful Death Beneficiaries of Poole v. Avara, 908 So.2d 716, 721 (Miss.2005) (citing Miss. Transp. Comm'n v. McLemore, 863 So.2d 31, 34 (Miss.2003)). See also Investor Res. Servs., Inc. v. Cato, 15 So.3d 412, 416 (Miss.2009); Adcock v. Miss. Transp. Comm'n, 981 So.2d 942, 946 (Miss.2008). ś 9. Rule 702 of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence states: If scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education, may testify thereto in the form of an opinion or otherwise, if (1) the testimony is based upon sufficient facts or data, (2) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods, and (3) the witness has applied the principles and methods reliably to the facts of the case. Miss. R. Evid. 702. To determine the admissibility of expert-witness testimony, this Court adopted a test in McLemore as stated in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579, 113 S.Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993), and as modified in Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael, 526 U.S. 137, 119 S.Ct. 1167, 143 L.Ed.2d 238 (1999). McLemore, 863 So.2d at 35. In McLemore, this Court determined that, under Rule 702, expert testimony is admissible if it is relevant and reliable. Id. at 38. Rule 702, however, does not provide for a relaxation of the traditional standards for determining that the witness is indeed qualified to speak an opinion on a matter within a purported field of knowledge. Miss. R. Evid. 702 cmt. Further, the trial judge is considered the gatekeeper and determines the value of the expert testimony. Cato, 15 So.3d at 416. As the gatekeeper, the trial judge ensures that any expert testimony is relevant and reliable. Poole, 908 So.2d at 723. ś 10. Relevant evidence is that evidence which has any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. Miss. R. Evid. 401. The threshold for admissibility is not great, keeping in mind the fact that Rule 401 favors the admission of evidence when it has probative value. Cato, 15 So.3d at 417 (citing McLemore, 863 So.2d at 40). When determining reliability, this Court has held that the expert testimony must demonstrate that his opinion is based upon scientific methods and procedures, not unsupported speculation. Adcock, 981 So.2d at 947. To this end, this Court has enumerated some factors that may be considered as follows: `[W]hether the theory or technique can be and has been tested; whether it has been subjected to peer review and publication; whether . . . there is a high known or potential rate of error; whether there are standards controlling the technique's operation; and whether the theory or technique enjoys general acceptance' within the expert's particular field. McLemore, 863 So.2d at 37 (citing Daubert, 509 U.S. at 592-94, 113 S.Ct. 2786). Id. See also Cato, 15 So.3d at 417.
ś 11. Carla argues that the trial court erred by denying her motion in limine to exclude testimony from Ephraim Woolf concerning Preston's alleged making, using, or selling methamphetamine (crystal meth) before the wreck. She claims that the testimony was hearsay, prejudicial, and not relevant. Further, Carla claims that the prejudicial effect was compounded by the testimony of the State toxicologist, Carmen McIntire, that Preston had no crystal meth in his system at the time of the wreck.
ś 12. The trial court denied Carla's motion in limine to exclude Woolf's testimony. The trial court determined that Woolf's testimony was not hearsay, because it was his personal observation and knowledge. See Miss. R. Evid. 801 and 602. While the trial court acknowledged that the testimony was likely to be prejudicial, the test, pursuant to Rule 403 is whether the probative value of the evidence is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Under that test, the trial court determined that the probative value of the testimony concerning activities involving methamphetamine prior to the crash did not outweigh the danger of unfair prejudice. The trial court stated, in part: As concerns the claim that the prejudicial effect of such evidence would outweigh the probative value and confuse the jury as to the facts of this case, the court can quickly conclude that the evidence will most likely have a prejudicial effect upon the jury's view of the plaintiff. However, that is not the test. The test is whether under MRE 403 the probative value of the evidence is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Again, there appears to be no attack as to the veracity of such evidence. The defendants assert that at the time of the accident, the deceased was coming down from a crystal methamphetamine high, a process known as crashing. According to at least one defense expert, when an individual crashes following a crystal methamphetamine high, such an individual would be prone to dozing off and/or not be highly reactive. Despite the plaintiff's argument to the contrary, the court finds that the probative value of evidence that the deceased engaged in activities involving methamphetamines prior to the accident is not substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. ś 13. Woolf testified, that prior to the wreck, Preston had been staying at his house on and off. On Saturday, the day before the collision, Woolf stated that Preston was with him and a girl named Sabrina (Ashmore). The group planned to cook crystal meth. During the day, they all helped to gather the ingredients for the crystal meth. They all met at Steve Brooks's house before going to Beulah Lake to cook the crystal meth. Woolf testified that Brooks was at his house when they arrived, and Brooks knew what they were going to do. Woolf, Preston, and Ashmore arrived at the lake around midnight, started cooking the meth about 1:00 a.m., and about three hours later, the first pull, or batch, was ready to smoke. Woolf stated that he, Preston, and Ashmore all smoked the drugs and got high. According to Woolf, they cooked the drugs all night and into the next day until about lunchtime, that being 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Because of the ether that is used in the process of making the drugs, Woolf stated that eventually, a crystal meth user will fall asleep. They returned to Cleveland around 6:00 p.m. and went to Brooks's house to split the drugs. Woolf, Preston, Ashmore, and Brooks all took a share of the drugs. Then, they all got high again and hung around for a while at Brooks's house. Preston drove Ashmore home to Clarksdale, leaving Brooks's house at about 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. Woolf stated that he would not have wanted to travel with Preston at that time because they had been smoking and awake for days. ś 14. The trial court did not err by admitting Woolf's testimony. Woolf testified about events that were within his personal observation and knowledge. See Miss. R. Evid. 601 and 602. His testimony was not hearsay, which is defined as a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted. Miss. R. Evid. 801. Woolf testified about his actions and Preston's actions prior to Preston leaving Brooks's house to bring Ashmore home and the fatal collision. Woolf did not testify to any statements made by Preston. Woolf testified only about events that were within his personal knowledge, as he was with Preston on the day before and day of the accident until Preston departed from Brooks's house. Therefore, Woolf's testimony was not hearsay. ś 15. The trial court determined that the evidence was relevant and conducted a balancing test pursuant to Rule 403, finding that the probative value outweighed the prejudicial effect. The testimony was relevant because it concerned the type of activity that Preston was involved in prior to the accident and what impact that activity may have had on his alertness at the time of the accident. The evidence was relevant, and the probative value outweighed the prejudicial effect because it concerned the issue of proximate cause and potential fault.
ś 16. Carla also argues that the trial court erred by denying her motion in limine pertaining to evidence by R & R's expert, Michael Weaver, that Preston had methamphetamine in his blood at the time of the collision. [2] R & R asserts that this testimony supports its theory of how the accident occurred. The trial court denied Carla's motion in limine to exclude this evidence on the same basis as it denied Woolf, the probative value of evidence concerning methamphetamine in the blood of the deceased at the time of the accident was not substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice pursuant to Rule 403. ś 17. Two toxicology experts were qualified and testified concerning Preston's blood test. Carmen McIntire (McIntire), a Mississippi Crime Laboratory toxicologist, testified for Carla. Michael Weaver (Weaver), a former Mississippi Crime Lab toxicologist, testified for the defense. At issue was McIntire's report concerning Preston's blood test. She testified that she had performed two tests on Preston's blood: (1) an immunoassay test, and (2) a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer test (mass spectra). Based on her analysis, McIntire stated that she had found no crystal meth in Preston's blood. Her report showed that Preston had only caffeine in his blood. However, she stated that the results of the mass spectra test had some features that were indicative of methamphetamine, but they didn't meet criteria needed to be able to say for sure that that's what was in fact present. So I reported it negative. McIntire also testified to the effects of methamphetamine, an initial feeling of euphoria and excitability followed by feelings of depression, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, and eventual unconsciousness. She also stated that a person could have delayed perception as a result of the drug use. ś 18. Weaver, on the other hand, testified that in his opinion, methamphetamine was present in Preston's blood. Weaver said that he based his opinion on the ions present in Preston's blood and the testimony from Woolf that Preston had smoked crystal meth. He also testified concerning the effects of methamphetamine on a person's body. His testimony on the effects of the drug was similar to that of McIntire. ś 19. The trial court did not err by admitting Weaver's expert testimony on whether Preston had methamphetamine in his blood. Both experts were qualified, and Carla did not object to Weaver being qualified as an expert. Once a witness is qualified as an expert to render expert testimony, then it is within the province of the trier of fact to give weight and credibility to the testimony. Palmer v. Anderson Infirmary Benevolent Ass'n, 656 So.2d 790, 796 (Miss.1995). This Court has held that expert opinions are only advisory in nature and are not binding on a trier of fact. Flight Line, Inc. v. Tanksley, 608 So.2d 1149, 1166 (Miss. 1992). The jury may credit them or not as they appear entitled, weighing and judging the expert's opinion in the context of all of the evidence in the case and `the jury's own general knowledge of affairs. . . .' Id. (quoting Schoppe v. Applied Chems. Div., 418 So.2d 833, 837 (Miss.1982)). Thus, the trial court did not err by admitting Weaver's testimony concerning Preston's blood, as it was relevant, it was more probative than prejudicial, and it was supported by Woolf's testimony. To the extent that Weaver's testimony differed from that of McIntire's, that was an issue of credibility to be resolved by the jury. Flight Line, 608 So.2d at 1166. This issue is without merit.
ś 20. Carla next contends that the trial court erred pursuant to Rules 401, 402, and 403 by allowing Martha Fly and Rachel Foster, Preston's mother and sister, respectively, to testify about a white substance found in Preston's pants pocket two months after his death. The trial court granted Carla's motion in limine to limit the testimony of Fly as to the substance found in Preston's pocket. However, based on Foster's purported experience with crystal meth, the trial court allowed her to testify about the substance found in Preston's pocket pursuant to Rule 701. ś 21. Mississippi Rule of Evidence 701 states: If the witness is not testifying as an expert, the witness's testimony in the form of opinions or inferences is limited to those opinions or inferences which are (a) rationally based on the perception of the witness, (b) helpful to the clear understanding of the testimony or the determination of a fact in issue, and (c) not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge within the scope of 702. ś 22. At trial, Fly stated that she had received Preston's clothing from the funeral home, including his pants. She had placed them in the trunk of her car. After a number of weeks, Fly viewed the clothing and found a plastic bag with a white substance in Preston's pants pocket. She called Foster to come and look at the item. Foster testified that she was familiar with how crystal meth looked and smelled, having smoked it as a teenager. Foster testified that the substance found in Preston's pants was crystal meth. However, the substance was flushed down the toilet and was not tested. ś 23. The trial court did not err in allowing testimony that the substance in Preston's pants was crystal meth pursuant to Rule 701. Foster stated that she was familiar with crystal meth, having smoked it as a teenager. She stated that she knew what it looked like and what it smelled like. Foster actually saw the substance that her mother found and opened the package and smelled it. The substance smelled like ammonia, as does crystal meth. Foster concluded that the substance was crystal meth. ś 24. The testimony falls within the parameters of Rule 701, because the testimony was rationally based on the perceptions of Foster; it was helpful to the jury for a clear understanding of the testimony and the determination of a fact in issue, that being whether Preston had experienced any effects of drug use at the time of the accident; and the testimony was not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge within the scope of Rule 702. Further, Fly's and Foster's testimony corroborated Woolf's testimony to the extent that the drugs were divided at Brooks's house and placed into plastic bags. This testimony also helped refute Brooks's testimony that he did not see any drugs and no one had used drugs in his home on the day of the accident. This issue is without merit.
ś 25. Carla argues that the trial court erred by allowing Weaver to testify to the effects of the use of methamphetamine on Preston's body. Specifically, Weaver testified that, based on the testimony of Woolf and the results of the mass spectra test, Preston could have been fatigued, experiencing delayed perception, and had a delayed reaction. Further, she argues that R & R failed to raise this issue in discovery. ś 26. The trial court determined that it had not made a prior ruling on the issue. While the trial court acknowledged that it had limited some evidence on the issue of visibility, it had not ruled on the issue of fatigue. Carla argued that the testimony concerning fatigue or delayed perception or reaction all went to the issue of visibility. The trial court disagreed and allowed this testimony. ś 27. As to notifying Carla of the potential testimony of Weaver, the record reflects that R & R filed a designation of expert witnesses which contained the exact testimony that R & R elicited from Weaver on the stand. Weaver also had submitted an affidavit. In his expert-witness testimony designation and affidavit, Weaver stated that, based on Preston smoking methamphetamine, his staying awake the night before the accident, and the accident occurring at a point in time when most of the drugs had been eliminated from Preston's body, Preston would have experienced fatigue and compromised perception and reaction when he operated the vehicle. Carla's contention that she had no notice of this aspect of Weaver's testimony is without merit. ś 28. As for Carla's contention that the trial court erred by admitting Weaver's testimony concerning Preston's possible state of fatigue and delayed perception and reaction abilities as impermissible under Rules 702 and 703 and Rules 401, 402, and 403, this issue is without merit. First, Carla did not object to Weaver's use of the words could have as being an improper legal standard pursuant to Mississippi Rules of Evidence 702 and 703. Carla did object that R & R failed to provide an expert opinion on the subject and that the trial court previously had limited testimony about what Preston would have seen on the night of the accident. As previously determined, Carla was provided notice of the contents of Weaver's expert opinion, which included the issue of fatigue. The trial court determined that it had not made a prior ruling limiting testimony on the issue of fatigue. Carla's objection was more related to a link between fatigue and visibility. Carla's counsel argued that [Weaver's] going to talk about fatigue and he is going to say that the fatigue could have had something to do with the visibility. The trial court overruled the objection on those grounds. While Carla objected to Weaver's testimony on this issue, she did not object to Weaver testifying that Preston could have been fatigued as an improper legal standard. Second, Weaver did not state these opinions in relation to Preston's personal visibility at the time of the accident, as argued by Carla at trial. Third, Weaver was designated as an expert without objection. Fourth, Weaver based his opinion on the blood test performed by McIntire, another toxicologist, and the testimony of Woolf, who was with Preston on the day before and the day of the accident. Fifth, both toxicologists, McIntire and Weaver, testified concerning the initial effects of methamphetamine on a person's body and its after affects. Sixth, Woolf's and Weaver's testimony rebutted the testimony of Steve Brooks, a witness in Carla's case-in-chief. Brooks stated that Preston was a slow and careful driver. In addition, he stated that, on the day of the accident, Preston had slept at Brooks's house until midday, and no drugs were used in his house. Finally, we addressed Carla's argument with regard to relevancy and probative value outweighing prejudicial effect in the previous issue. Accordingly, the trial court did not err by admitting this evidence.
ś 29. Carla argues that the trial court erred by excluding evidence of R & R's carrier rating. She contends that the rating was relevant because it showed a pattern and practice of not following the FMCSRs, and it was a proximate cause of the accident. The trial court excluded the evidence, finding it too remote to have relevance to the issue involved in the litigation at hand. ś 30. Carla did not specifically identify the violations at issue. The carrier rating at issue was for violations occurring after the date of Preston's wreck, and none of the violations involved a violation for non-use of reflective tape. [3] Further, the overall carrier rating was satisfactory. Notwithstanding this, the carrier rating was not relevant under Rule 401 to the litigation that arose from Preston's death. Carla's main contention was that the tractor-trailer did not have any reflective tape on the back panel. Further, the trial court gave an instruction that stated that R & R and Hunter had violated the FMCSRs and were negligent. Therefore, the trial court did not err by excluding the carrier rating.
ś 31. Carla sought to have Hunter's driving record admitted at trial. She argues that the trial court erred by excluding the driving record because his record of FMCSR violations showed a pattern and practice of violating the regulations. In his deposition testimony, Hunter admitted that he had received a violation prior to the accident. Hunter's truck was placed out-of-service for a leak in his fuel tank, which he immediately had fixed. ś 32. The trial court excluded the violation, finding that it was not relevant to the issue of the wrongful-death case and too remote in time to have any relevance to the case. Further, the trial court determined that the number and severity of the violations did not demonstrate a routine or practice sufficient to support Carla's arguments. We find that the trial court did not err by excluding Hunter's driving record. The trial court instructed the jury that R & R and Hunter had been negligent for violating FMCSRs. Therefore, the jury knew that R & R and Hunter had violated the regulations. As the fuel leak in question was unrelated in any manner to the accident and whether the absence of reflective tape caused the accident, the trial court properly excluded this evidence pursuant to Rules 401 and 403.
ś 33. Carla argues that the trial court erred by excluding two of her experts from testifying on the issue of the taillight visibility. She also contends that the trial court erred by allowing two of R & R's lay witnesses to render opinions on taillight visibility. The issue arose in connection with photographs that depicted what appeared to be dirt on the taillights of the R & R truck on the night of the accident. The trial court granted R & R's motion in limine on this issue, finding that an expert opinion was not necessary to determine what is depicted in a photograph. More specifically, the trial court stated: Whatever the status of the taillights on the trailer immediately following the accident, such status is depicted in the photographs taken by the Mississippi Highway Patrol. It is this court's view that it does not take an expert to advise a jury as to what is depicted in a photograph. The jury can view the photograph itself and make its own determination as what is depicted therein. Thus, the court finds that an opinion from an expert as to what is depicted in a photograph would not be of assistance to the jury. In other words, the trial court prohibited any expert opinions that the taillights of the R & R truck had dirt on them or were dirty at the time of the accident. Carla claims that her experts, Tim Corbitt and Dane Maxwell, would have opined about the dirt on the taillights and how that dirt would have affected the visibility of the lights at night. The trial court, in fact, did not preclude Carla from asking her experts, in a hypothetical situation, about the effects of dirt on taillight visibility. The trial court stated that the expert can talk about if, in fact, there was dirt on the taillight, what effect it would have on the visibility of the trailer. Essentially, a hypothetical. ś 34. This Court finds that the trial court did not err by refusing all experts, both Carla's and R & R's, from testifying concerning dirt on the taillights or that the taillights were dirty. Opinions given by expert witnesses are designed to provide scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge to assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or determine a fact in issue. Miss. R. Evid. 702. This issue, dirt on the taillights, was not of a nature that required an expert opinion, as the jury had enough knowledge to discern whether the photographs depicted dirt on the taillights. Furthermore, it was established that neither Corbitt nor Maxwell was present at the scene of the accident, therefore, they had no first-hand, personal knowledge of the condition of the taillights directly after the accident to assist the trier of fact, nor did the experts inspect the trailer immediately after the accident. This is not to say that the experts had to be present or to inspect the truck immediately, but only that there was no other basis to permit them to testify about the condition of the taillights in the photographs. Accordingly, this issue is without merit. ś 35. As to Carla's argument that the trial court erroneously had permitted lay witnesses for the defense to testify on the condition of the taillights, this issue is without merit. While Carla does not identify which lay witnesses are in question, presumably she means Trooper Ronald Shive and Charles Richard. Both of these witnesses were at the scene of the accident moments after the collision. Trooper Shive testified about his personal knowledge and observations of the conditions at the scene of the accident. See Miss. R. Evid. 601 and 602. He stated that he had no difficulty seeing the trailer, and it had four lights on it. The lights were in proper working order, were bright, and had lenses on them. Trooper Shive also stated that he could see the lights from a distance. ś 36. Richard also testified about his personal knowledge and observations. See Miss. R. Evid. 601 and 602. Richard stated that he had observed the truck lights working when Hunter left the R & R lot and later at the scene of the accident. Once he heard about the accident, Richard said that he began driving to the scene and saw the trailer taillights from a mile away. Richard stated that, after the accident, the tag light and three small lights on the bottom and in the middle of the trailer had to be replaced, because they were torn off in the collision. Because Trooper Shive and Richard testified concerning their first-hand, personal knowledge and observations of the accident scene, the trial court did not err by permitting them to testify concerning their observations of the visibility of the truck taillights after the accident.
ś 37. Carla argues that the trial court erred by excluding her expert, Mark Dunlap, from testifying that the truck was out of service at the time of the collision due to a lack of reflective tape. [4] She argued that the lack of tape was in direct violation of the FMCSRs and, therefore, the truck should not have been on the roadway. ś 38. The trial court qualified Dunlap as an expert in State and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Codes. At trial, Carla proffered the testimony of Dunlap on the issue of whether the truck was out of service. The proffered testimony was as follows: Q. Mark [Dunlap], would you tell this Court what your findings are regarding whether or not this trucking company should have been permitted to have this vehicle on the road the day of the accident? A. Should not have been on the road in that condition. Q. Why not? A. Did not meet the requirements for the conspicuity tape, 393.13. Q. Okay, and can you tell us whether or not you have an opinion regarding whether or not that truck and trailer were in service or out of service? Based on the violations for the conspicuity tape? A. Right. The truck â Q. â Scratch truck. Just the trailer? A. The trailer was not out of service. However, had I come across it, I would have held it due to the fact it was a dangerous violation. Q. Meaning you would not have allowed it to continue? A. I would not have allowed it to continue on the road. Q. Give us your opinion on causation in regards to the injuries as to Preston Utz? A. The only thing that I could comment on is the fact the truck should never have been on the road in the first place. That would be my causation. Q. Okay. No further questions. (Emphasis added.) ś 39. Carla contends that the trial court erred by finding that this issue concerned strict liability. Instead, Carla contends that, once R & R and Hunter admitted that they had violated the FMCSRs, a violation of state and federal law, the trial court should have granted a peremptory instruction as to liability in lieu of the negligence-per-se instruction and should have permitted her to have expert testimony on causation with regard to the trailer being out of service. ś 40. The trial court, in the order granting in part and denying in part R & R's motion to strike various opinions to be offered by Carla's expert witnesses, determined that all of the expert witnesses for Carla had a common theme of strict liability against R & R, based on her theory that the truck had no reflective tape and, therefore, it should not have been on the roadway. The trial court stated: Causation â Strict Liability 17. A common theme running through all of the opinions of the plaintiff's experts is their position that because the truck failed to have the federally required amount of reflective tape on the rear of the truck, the truck should not have been on the highway, and thus they conclude the defendants are liable for the injuries and death of the plaintiff simply because the truck was on the roadway. By this argument, the plaintiff seeks to impose strict liability against the defendants. 18. Strict liability is not pled in the complaint. Also, this court is of the opinion that this case is not one premised on strict liability. Although the violation of federal regulations alleged by the plaintiff â the failure to have reflective tape attached to the rear of the trailer â is a factor that may be considered by the jury when assessing liability, there must exist some casual connection between the alleged violation and the accident. Without such a causal connection, it is this court's view that no liability would attach to the defendants premised only upon an alleged violation of federal or state regulations. 19. For the reason stated above, no expert will be permitted to opine or give testimony to the effect that the subject truck should not have been on the highway due to its alleged failure to comply with federal regulations. (Emphasis added.) ś 41. The trial court did not err by excluding Dunlap's expert testimony on whether the truck was out of service. Based on Dunlap's proffered testimony, he clearly stated that the truck was not out of service, although he would have placed it out of service had he inspected it. Notwithstanding his testimony that the truck was not out of service, this Court has held that violations of traffic laws, in and of themselves, do not amount to strict liability. This Court requires that in order to incur liability when a party is negligent, that negligence also must be the proximate cause of the injury. See Jones v. U.S. Fid. and Guar. Co., 822 So.2d 946, 948 (Miss. 2002) (We note our opinion in Richardson v. Adams, 223 So.2d 536, 537 (Miss.1969), establishes that the violation of a statute demonstrates a duty and breach thereof, but not proximate cause of injury which is a question still left for the jury to answer); see also Choctaw Maid Farms, Inc. v. Hailey, 822 So.2d 911, 923-24 (Miss.2002) (this Court held that no punitive damages were warranted where there was no nexus between Choctaw's alleged gross negligence and the collision and where Choctaw's trailer had an expired tag, was old, and was missing a log book, among other things). This issue is without merit.
ś 42. Coupled with the previous argument on whether the truck was out of service, Carla argues that the trial court erred by excluding expert testimony from Mark Mori, Mark Dunlap, Dane Maxwell, and Tim Corbitt on the issues of (1) the visibility of the truck, where the truck had no reflective tape, and (2) causation. ś 43. R & R argues, in part, that Carla's complaint was based on a theory of negligence. However, as the case progressed, R & R contends that Carla intended to present a theory of strict liability. R & R bases its' argument on the opinions expressed by Mori, Dunlap, and Maxwell. The common root of Carla's experts' opinions, R & R claims, was that the trailer was in violation of the FMCSRs for failure to have reflective tape, therefore, the trailer was illegally on the road at the time of the accident. Further, had the trailer not been on the road, then the collision and Preston's subsequent death never would have occurred and, consequently, R & R and Hunter were liable for Preston's death.
ś 44. The trial court qualified Mori as an expert truck driver in pretrial procedures. [5] Carla asserts that Mori's expert report stated that the truck should not have been on the road because it had no reflective tape on it. Mori further opined that it was reckless to have the truck on the road, and Preston was killed as a result of the truck being on the road with no reflective tape, as the truck was barely visible and in violation of the FMCSRs. ś 45. As for the issue of visibility, Mori stated during his deposition testimony that he could not testify whether a person other than himself could have seen the trailer without reflective tape. In keeping with this, Mori also stated that he would have been able to see the trailer lights more than a half mile away under similar conditions on the night of the accident, those being a flat Delta road in the wintertime. ś 46. Mori also stated in his deposition that the truck was required to have reflective tape, however, photographs of the accident showed the truck without any reflective tape. Because the truck had no reflective tape, the truck should not have been on the road and the accident would not have happened. When asked whether any of those issues affected the trailer's visibility, Mori stated Well, it â it wasn't supposed to be on the road, so whether it's visible or not, it â it's not supposed to be on the road. Mori also stated that R & R and Hunter would be at fault if the truck was on the roadway without reflective tape, regardless of whether the truck was visible to Preston, because the truck was not legally on the road. Mori was not called as a witness at trial. ś 47. On the issue of visibility, the trial court granted R & R's request to exclude Mori's testimony. The trial court reasoned that Mori's opinion, that [b]y driving at night without reflective tape on the back of the trailer, the driver and operator allowed the trailer to be unrecognizable at night from the rear, thus allowing it to be struck by a following car. I believe that is what happened in this case, was inadmissible, in part, because expert testimony was not needed to assist the jury about driving at night behind a tractor-trailer truck, as it is a common experience. The trial court further stated: This witness bases his opinion that [Preston] did not see the trailer primarily, if not solely, on the fact that there was an absence of reflective or conspicuity tape on the back of the trailer. In the view of this court, such an opinion, based solely thereon, is not based on sufficient facts. Logically, such an opinion would lead to the conclusion that in the absence of reflective tape, it is impossible for any driver to see any commercial transport tractor trailer at night. For these reasons, Mori is precluded from testifying as to the cause of the accident. To this extent, the motions for the defendants to strike the opinion of this witness is GRANTED.
ś 48. As previously stated, the trial court qualified Dunlap as an expert in State and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Codes. Dunlap's expert report opined that Preston's death was due to the truck not being in compliance with the FMCSRs. In addition, Dunlap opined that the truck should not have been on the road and that it posed a hazard to any driver approaching the truck from the rear. In his deposition testimony, Dunlap stated that he was unable to give an opinion on visibility on the night of the accident. Without being there, I wouldn't be able to say. He also stated that the lack of reflective tape does not make a vehicle invisible. As discussed in the preceding issue, Dunlap's proffered testimony at trial on the issue of causation was that [t]he only thing that I could comment on is the fact the truck should never have been on the road in the first place. That would be my causation. ś 49. The trial court stated: In reviewing the depositions of this witness, it appears that like the witness Mori, Dunlap anticipates offering opinion testimony concerning the visibility of the subject truck at night [citation omitted] and the cause of the accident. While the court will permit this witness to state opinions as to the purpose of certain state and federal regulations, the court remains of the view that testimony regarding the visibility of the trailer at night will not assist the trier of fact and, again, it does not appear to this court that there are sufficient facts and/or data for the witness to testify as to whether the deceased would have been able to see the trailer prior to the accident or as to the cause of the accident. Thus, opinions along those lines will not be permitted, and to the extent the defendants' motion seeks to prohibit this witness from testifying and/or offering opinions regarding the visibility of the trailer at night, whether the deceased would have been able to see the trailer prior to the accident and/or the cause of the accident, such motion is hereby GRANTED.
ś 50. The trial court qualified Maxwell as an expert on Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. Maxwell opined in his report that the cause of Preston's death was operating the truck without reflective tape. In his deposition testimony, Maxwell stated that the truck was invisible without the reflective tape. In addition, Maxwell stated that, in order for Preston to have seen the truck, the reflective tape would have had to have been on the bottom and the top right and left hand corners of the truck. He stated that if reflective tape was only on the bottom of the truck, then Preston would not have been able to see the truck because it did not comply with the regulations. When asked whether strict compliance with the regulations was required in order for Preston to have an awareness that the trailer was in the highway, Maxwell answered in the affirmative. In other words, the truck would not have been visible to Preston, in Maxwell's opinion, because it was not in strict compliance with the regulations. At trial, Maxwell proffered testimony that the cause of the accident was a [v]iolation of the conspicuity regulations and [t]hat the fault lies with the Defendants. ś 51. Like Mori and Dunlap, the trial court excluded testimony from Maxwell on the issues of visibility and causation for the same reasons. The trial court determined that there were insufficient facts and/or data for Maxwell to testify whether Preston would have been able to see the trailer prior to the accident and what was the cause of the accident.
ś 52. Tim Corbitt was offered as an expert in accident reconstruction. The trial court qualified Corbitt as follows: While this witness will be permitted to interpret any evidence found or not found ( i.e. skid marks) at the scene of the accident and offer testimony and opinions regarding such evidence and how such evidence relates to the accident, the court remains of the opinion that there are insufficient facts and/or data to allow the witness to give testimony and/or provide opinions as to whether the deceased actually saw the truck prior to the impact, This witness will be permitted to offer testimony regarding the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, their application to the facts of this case and any deficiencies regarding compliance with such regulations by such truck and/or trucking firm. As with the other witnesses, the court is of the view that opinions regarding the visibility, or lack of visibility, of the truck at night would not assist the trier of fact. For that reason, this witness will not be permitted to offer testimony or opinions as to whether this truck was visible to the deceased prior to the accident. However, the witness will be permitted to offer an opinion regarding the visibility of the trailer from the point of view of a reasonably prudent driver, including how far away from the trailer a reasonable prudent driver would have been able to see the trailer at night if it was properly equipped with reflective tape. (Emphasis in original.) ś 53. As to visibility, Corbitt testified at trial that a reasonably prudent person would have seen only the lights of the trailer on the night of the accident as opposed to the entire outline of the trailer, had it had the required conspicuity tape. He also testified to a silhouette effect that occurs mainly at night in dimly lit areas which acts to hide the trailer. [6] ś 54. Corbitt also stated that he had reviewed the FMCSRs, and that R & R had an obligation to have reflective tape on the truck on the night of the accident. Corbitt testified that a reasonably prudent person would not have been able to see the truck at the time of the accident. He stated that to solve red dot confusion, where lights appear as reddish dots in the distance, conspicuity tape should be added to a vehicle. Also, Corbitt testified that conspicuity tape would aid to alert a reasonably prudent person that a trailer is ahead on the roadway. In general, he stated that reflective tape would give greater visibility of the trailer at a further distance. ś 55. The trial court did not err by limiting all experts' opinions on the issue of whether the truck was visible to Preston on the night of the accident. Mori and Dunlap stated in one form or another that they were not present at the time of the accident and, therefore, could not state what Preston may have seen. Maxwell stated that the truck was invisible because it lacked the reflective tape. However, Maxwell was of the opinion that if the truck was in compliance with the FMCSRs, then the truck would have been visible. The trial court permitted Corbitt to testify at trial as to visibility with regard to what a reasonably prudent person, not Preston in particular, would have seen on the night of the accident. The trial court's decision, and its more lenient admission of testimony from Corbitt on the issue of visibility, was proper. None of the expert witnesses had the requisite knowledge to know what Preston may or may not have seen on the night of the accident. Any opinion on what Preston would have seen would be mere speculation. ś 56. The jury heard testimony from various witnesses that the trailer had no reflective tape in violation of the FMCSRs. The jury also heard that reflective tape was designed to alert drivers to the presence of trucks ahead on the roadway, and that the absence of the tape would reduce visibility. Accordingly, the issue of visibility, or lack thereof, of the trailer was presented to the jury for consideration. The testimony on visibility was not expressed in terms of Preston's actual ability to see the truck on the night of the accident, however, without Preston's testimony, which unfortunately was not possible in this case, any testimony concerning this was properly excluded. Therefore, the trial court did not err by refusing this testimony pursuant to Rules 401, 403, and 702. ś 57. As to causation, the trial court properly excluded testimony from Mori, Dunlap, Maxwell, and Corbitt pertaining to causation. [7] The trial court reasoned that there was not sufficient facts or data upon which to base an opinion as to causation. These witnesses basically held R & R and Hunter to a strict-liability theory that the truck should never have been on the road because it had no reflective tape in violation of FMCSRs and, consequently, the reduced visibility of the truck caused Preston's death. As some of the witnesses agreed, they could not testify what Preston saw on the night of the accident. Since they could not testify concerning Preston's visibility, they could not state whether the lack of reflective tape caused the accident. Therefore, the trial court did not err by excluding their proposed theories as to causation.
ś 58. Carla next argues that the trial court erred by permitting defense expert witness John Bentley to testify concerning issues previously limited by court order. The trial court ordered that Bentley's opinion would be limited to that of a reasonably prudent driver approaching from the rear. This ruling was similar to limits placed on Carla's expert witnesses. ś 59. Carla asserts that the trial court erroneously permitted two previously limited statements during Bentley's direct examination. The first statement was elicited after defense counsel asked Bentley his opinion on whether Preston Utz had ample time and distance to avoid the collision. The following exchange occurred: Q. And reviewing the testimony and listening to the testimony these last few days, do you have an opinion, based on reasonable engineering certainty, as to whether or not Preston Utz had ample time and distance to avoid the impact with the tractor-trailer? A. Yes, sir. Q. And what is that opinion? A. That there was sufficient time and distance available to Mr. Utz to comfortably slow his vehicle or make a lane change to the left lane. Counsel for Carla requested to approach the bench and then objected to the first statement. The trial court asked why the objection was not made before Bentley testified. After further discussion, the trial court overruled the objection. The second opinion elicited was as follows: Q. Mr. Bentley, would a reasonably prudent driver have had ample time and distance to avoid collision with this trailer? A. Yes, sir. Q. Tell us what is the basis for your opinion? ś 60. Counsel for Carla requested to approach the bench when Bentley was questioned on the second statement and objected to the question. The trial court reconsidered the issue and remedied the first statement by sustaining the objection, in effect, by giving Carla the option of either instructing the jury to disregard the testimony or rebutting the testimony with another witness. Carla chose to rebut the testimony with testimony from Corbitt, her expert. Corbitt rebutted Bentley's testimony by stating that Preston did not have ample time and distance to avoid impact with the trailer. As for the second statement, the question and answer conformed to the proper limitation imposed by the trial court. Defense counsel phrased the question in terms of a reasonably prudent driver. This issue is without merit.