Opinion ID: 1356921
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Basis of Expert Opinions

Text: Appellant argues the trial court erred in allowing respondent's experts to state their opinions on the issue of causation because the opinions were based in part on inadmissible hearsay statements in Ellis' medical records and deposition testimony taken in an action to which appellant was not a party (see footnote 2). We disagree. The hearsay statements appellant argues were inadmissible and could not form the basis of opinion testimony include the written statement made by the paramedic in the ambulance report indicating Ellis had movement in his extremities, and the written statement made by the physician in the emergency room report that indicated Ellis had good rectal tone upon admission to the hospital. As noted above, however, the trial court committed no error in admitting these statements into evidence. Further, whether or not the statements were admitted at trial, or even admissible at trial, it is undisputed that in forming opinions about a patient, medical experts routinely rely on the patient's medical records. Consequently, there was nothing improper in allowing respondent's experts to give opinions based in part on the statements in Ellis' medical records. See Rule 703, SCRE (in giving an opinion, an expert may rely on facts or data which are not admitted in evidence or even admissible in evidence). [11] As for the depositions taken in the other action, appellant contends that Rule 32(a), SCRCP, prohibits any use of these depositions to form the basis of an expert opinion. We disagree. Initially, we note that the depositions relied on by respondent's experts in giving their opinions were depositions of individuals who testified at trial and were therefore subject to direct and cross-examination by appellant. In any event, Rule 32, SCRCP, governs the use of depositions as evidence at trial or at a hearing. The rule does not, however, prohibit an expert from relying on depositions to form the basis of an opinion. Such use is governed by Rule 703, SCRE. [12] Under this Rule, the deposition testimony of those medical professionals involved in the care of Michael Ellis following his accident could be used to form the basis of opinion testimony by respondent's experts regarding the issues of negligence and causation.