Opinion ID: 2851006
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Preclusion of Expert Testimony

Text: In his second issue, Appellant concedes that the trial court’s entry of a nonsuit in favor of Nurse Yakish based on a lack of causation evidence tying Nurse Yakish’s alleged negligence to Decedent’s injuries was “undeniably correct,” but contends that the absence of such evidence was the result of the trial court erroneously granting the Hospital’s motion in limine precluding the causation testimony of Appellant’s expert witness, Nurse Pierce. Appellant’s Brief at 25-26. The trial court permitted Nurse Pierce to offer testimony regarding the quality of care offered by the nurses that treated Decedent, but prohibited Nurse Pierce from opining as to whether Nurse Yakish’s actions were a cause of Decedent’s injuries, reasoning: [B]ecause this was a medical professional liability action[] against a physician and Pierce did not possess an unrestricted physician’s license, he was properly precluded [from offering causation testimony] under the MCARE Act’s requirements under § 1303.512(b)(1). If this had been a [J-6-2015] - 20 case, such as Freed, [supra,] involving the causation of bedsores and whether poor nursing was a (sic) the cause of the bedsores[,] Pierce would have been free [to] testify as an expert as to causation. However, since it involved liability against multiple physicians and nurses, it would have created an anomalous result to allow Pierce to testify as to causation as to the nurses, but claim he was incompetent to testify against the physicians for care that was in many places indivisible as to who was providing it. As this was the case, Pierce was properly allowed to testify regarding his expert opinion of the quality of care provided by the Defendant nurses but not as to causation of Decedent’s death. Trial Court Opinion, 4/15/13, at 9. In arguing that the trial court erred in precluding Nurse Pierce from offering causation testimony against Nurse Yakish, Appellant suggests that the trial court based its decision on a “legally erroneous understanding of an inapplicable provision of the MCARE statute,” specifically Section 1303.512. Appellant’s Brief at 26. We find Appellant’s argument to be without merit. Section 512 sets forth the requisite qualifications for an expert witness testifying in a medical malpractice action against a physician: (a) General rule.—No person shall be competent to offer an expert medical opinion in a medical professional liability action against a physician unless that person possesses sufficient education, training, knowledge and experience to provide credible, competent testimony and fulfills the additional qualifications set forth in this section as applicable. (b) Medical testimony.—An expert testifying on a medical matter, including the standard of care, risks and alternatives, causation and the nature and extent of the injury, must meet the following qualifications: (1) Possess an unrestricted physician's license to practice medicine in any state or the District of Columbia. [J-6-2015] - 21 (2) Be engaged in or retired within the previous five years from active clinical practice or teaching. Provided, however, the court may waive the requirements of this subsection for an expert on a matter other than the standard of care if the court determines that the expert is otherwise competent to testify about medical or scientific issues by virtue of education, training, or experience. (c) Standard of care.—In addition to the requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b), an expert testifying as to a physician's standard of care also must meet the following qualifications: (1) Be substantially familiar with the applicable standard of care for the specific care at issue as of the time of the alleged breach of the standard of care. (2) Practice in the same subspecialty as the defendant physician or in a subspecialty which has a substantially similar standard of care for the specific care at issue, except as provided in subsection (d) or (e). (3) In the event the defendant physician is certified by an approved board, be board certified by the same or a similar approved board, except as provided in subsection (e).