Opinion ID: 2399207
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: The Plaintiff Attempted to Introduce Animal Studies to Support a Portion of Dr. Johnson's Theory

Text: One factor the trial justice can assess in determining the validity of an expert's proffered testimony is whether the subject of that testimony can be or has been tested. DiPetrillo, 729 A.2d at 689 (citing Daubert, 509 U.S. at 593). Doctor Johnson based his opinion partially on several studies performed with canine subjects. In the specific study cited, Dr. Johnson testified that tourniquets were placed around the limbs of dogs, shutting off all blood supply. He testified that he used these studies to see how long or how much ischemia [reduction of blood supply] was necessary to cause complete muscle damage. Doctor Johnson explained that the medical profession has used canine models extensively in anesthesia studies because their muscle tissue functions in ways that are more similar to humans than many other animals. He explained that the reason there were no such studies on human subjects was that he could conceive of no ethical way to conduct such studies. The defendants cite General Electric Co. v. Joiner, 522 U.S. 136, 144-45, 118 S.Ct. 512, 139 L.Ed.2d 508 (1997), for the proposition that such studies on animals cannot be used to support Dr. Johnson's theories. In Joiner, 522 U.S. at 144-45, the Supreme Court held that an animal study relied on by plaintiffs experts to establish a causal link between exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the plaintiffs cancer was so factually dissimilar to the case at bar that the trial justice properly rejected the experts' reliance on it. The Court, however, did not rule out the possibility that animal studies could be a valid basis for an expert's opinion about the effect that certain experiences can have on human beings. Id. Rather, it stated that whether animal studies can ever be a proper foundation for an expert's opinion was not the issue. The issue was whether these experts' opinions were sufficiently supported by the animal studies on which they purported to rely. Id. Unlike the study described in Joiner, the dog studies alluded to by Dr. Johnson did support his opinion on causation and his conclusions about when the patient's blood supply was restricted. The plaintiffs experts in Joiner used the mouse study to support their conclusion that PCBs caused plaintiff's cancer, whereas in this case Dr. Johnson used the animal study only to provide support for his conclusion about when Owens's blood flow was restricted during the operation. Unlike the cancer developed by the mice in Joiner, the focal-pressure mechanism used to cut off blood supply to the limbs of the dogs used in the experiment produced the same type of injuries that plaintiff suffered here, different only in degree. Likewise, although the OR team did not use a tourniquet to restrict the blood flow to Owens during surgery, there is evidence in the record indicating that the OR team deliberately reduced Owens's blood pressure during the surgery to control his bleeding. Also, the OR team used devices during the surgery that applied pressure to Owens's skin. The dog studies cited by Dr. Johnson to support his estimate regarding when Owens's injuries occurred are sufficiently similar to the facts of this case that the trial justice should have allowed them to be used as support for the expert's conclusions about when the injuries occurred. In addition, Dr. Towne testified that, in his opinion, whatever caused Owens's injuries occurred some time during the surgery. In deciding whether to admit proffered expert testimony, the trial justice must take care not to interfere with the jury's role as the trier of fact. See DiPetrillo, 729 A.2d at 687 (citing Stephen Breyer, The Interdependence of Science and Law, 82 Judicature 24, 26 (1998)). In this case, however, the trial justice ultimately granted defendants' motion to exclude Dr. Johnson's opinions for the same reasons he denied it after the preliminary hearing. In the first instance, he chose to allow the expert to testify and to permit the jury to determine whether such testimony was worthy of belief. Upon reconsideration, however, the justice applied an overly rigid standard for admitting the various individual components of Dr. Johnson's testimony, ultimately ruling that his proffered testimony was unworthy of belief because it appeared to constitute a novel theory that lacked independent corroboration in the medical community. But under Flanagan, Sheeley, and our other cases on expert medical witnesses, Dr. Johnson was legally competent to testify to the applicable standard of care and to the OR team's alleged deviation therefrom; and his opinions would have assisted the jury in reaching a conclusion in this case. When the evidence presented to support the expert's proposed opinions is sufficient to allow a reasonable juror to conclude that his or her methods are grounded in valid science, then cross-examination, presentation of contrary evidence, and careful instruction on the burden of proof are the appropriate means of attacking the reliability of this evidence. See Daubert, 509 U.S. at 596. Here, the trial justice, we hold, should have allowed Dr. Johnson to testify, thereby permitting the jury to weigh the credibility of his opinions. We are of the opinion that based upon the expert doctor's unquestionable credentials, qualifications, and special knowledge, skill, experience, and education in the field of anesthesia, he was qualified to render his opinions in this case. Moreover, given these qualifications, the doctor's opinions about what caused plaintiff's injuries would have assisted the jury in considering the evidence and in determining whether defendants' conduct in this case caused plaintiff to suffer the injuries in question. Thereafter, the jury could have decided how much weight  if any  to give these opinions in light of the dearth of peer-reviewed studies and published protocols to corroborate his specific theories of causation. Thus, we conclude, the trial justice abused his discretion in determining that Dr. Johnson was not qualified to render his opinions because his theory of negligence was not one shared by the individual defendants, and because plaintiff failed to introduce any evidence that would corroborate the scientific validity of Dr. Johnson's causation conclusions.