Opinion ID: 1421852
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: exclusion of liaison's testimony

Text: Harvey also asserts reversible error in the trial court's exclusion of portions of the testimony of Richard Culler, a hospital liaison committee worker. The liaison committee worked with patients and doctors to attempt to prevent Jehovah's Witness patients from receiving unwanted blood transfusions. The trial court sustained Dr. Strickland's objection to any testimony by Culler as to what specific resources were available at the Lexington Medical Center to someone who did not want to receive blood. However, Culler was able to testify that there were resources available at the hospital to assist in the treatment of patients without use of blood products. Given that Culler was able to testify as to resources generally available, we find no reversible error in the limitation of his testimony. Gamble v. Int'l Paper Realty Corp., 323 S.C. 367, 373, 474 S.E.2d 438, 441 (1996)(admission or exclusion of evidence is a matter within the sound discretion of the trial court and absent clear abuse, will not be disturbed on appeal). Moreover, we find any evidence as to the availability and appropriateness of cell saver technology, about which Culler proposed to testify, would have required expert testimony. Accordingly, the trial court did not err in refusing the proffered testimony as Culler was not qualified as an expert. Payton v. Kearse, 329 S.C. 51, 60-61, 495 S.E.2d 205, 211 (1998)(qualification of witness as an expert and the admissibility of his or her testimony are matters left to the sound discretion of the trial judge, whose decision will not be reversed on appeal absent an abuse of that discretion and prejudice to the opposing party).