Opinion ID: 500742
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Medical Articles as Evidence

Text: 30 The plaintiffs contend that the district court erred when it read and relied on Dr. Pulec's articles in establishing the applicable standard of care. These articles were referred to by Dr. Shea on direct examination and marked by defendant's counsel as exhibits 3 and 4 to Dr. Shea's deposition. Although Federal Rule of Evidence 803(18) precludes learned treatises from being received as exhibits, the Rule provides that treatises can be read into evidence. It appears that plaintiffs' counsel has confused the concept of not being received as exhibits with not being received as evidence. 31 Furthermore, Federal Rule of Evidence 103 provides that, in order to be error, a ruling admitting evidence must affect a substantial right of the party and a timely objection or motion to strike must appear on the record. On the second day of the trial, the court announced that it had read the depositions submitted and that court time need not be taken by reading them into the record. At this time, counsel for defendant objected to specific statements in the depositions submitted by plaintiffs, and the court ruled on those objections. Plaintiffs failed to object at this time, and never objected to the court's reading of the exhibits until this appeal. Moreover, plaintiffs have not shown that a substantial right was violated. The articles were relied upon by Dr. Ruleman, referred to by Dr. Kirshner, identified by Dr. Harris, discussed and quoted from by Dr. Shea, and generally recognized by the expert witnesses as the most important papers regarding the technique used on Mr. Ward. 32 Plaintiffs argue that because state law governs the competency of witnesses under Federal Rule of Evidence 601, the articles cannot be relied upon to establish the standard of care because Dr. Pulec would be incompetent to testify to the standard of care under the locality rule of Tenn.Code Ann. Sec. 29-26-115(b). Even assuming, arguendo, that plaintiffs are correct in this contention, the short answer is that Dr. Pulec was not offered as a witness. Furthermore, these articles were incorporated into the testimony of Drs. Shea and Ruleman, who are competent to testify under the state statute. Considering all of the above, it was not reversible error for the district court to read and rely on the articles regarding the issue of the standard of care.