Opinion ID: 1347026
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Brewer's Testimony

Text: Appellants argue the trial court erred in admitting the testimony of Brewer. We disagree. The admission of evidence is within the sound discretion of the trial judge and will not be reversed absent a clear abuse of discretion. See Hofer v. St. Clair, 298 S.C. 503, 513, 381 S.E.2d 736, 742 (1989). An abuse of discretion occurs when the ruling is based on an error of law or a factual conclusion without evidentiary support. Conner v. City of Forest Acres, 363 S.C. 460, 467, 611 S.E.2d 905, 908 (2005). Where a party calls an expert, the expert may testify as to his opinion, but his opinion must be based upon facts proven at trial. See Gathers By and Through Hutchinson v. S.C. Elec. & Gas Co., 311 S.C. 81, 82-83, 427 S.E.2d 687, 688-89 (Ct.App. 1993). A party may ask a hypothetical question of an expert, but the hypothetical must be based on facts supported by the evidence. Id. at 82, 427 S.E.2d at 688. At trial, Appellants objected to the introduction of Brewer's testimony as speculative. Appellants contend that Hartfield did not establish sufficient facts for the expert to give an opinion as to Helton's sobriety when he was at The Getaway. The court of appeals addressed a similar argument in Gathers . In Gathers , the plaintiff was electrocuted when he touched a copper water pipe under his home, and plaintiff's counsel called an expert who, based on a hypothetical question, theorized that a defect in the defendant's service line caused the pipe to become electrified. Id. The defendant argued that the testimony should have been excluded because there was not a sufficient factual foundation upon which to base the opinion. Id. The court of appeals found no error in admitting the testimony stating: [C]ounsel may rely upon circumstantial evidence to prove an essential fact in framing a hypothetical question. Deciding whether a conclusion assumed in the hypothetical is at least reasonably supported by circumstantial evidence is a question of law for the court. If circumstantial evidence reasonably supports the assumptions, whether the evidence actually establishes the assumed facts becomes a question of fact for the trier of fact. Id. at 83, 427 S.E.2d at 688-89. In the present case, the circumstantial evidence presented by Respondents was sufficient to support Brewer's opinions. As outlined above, Respondents established a general timeline of Helton's activities on the day of the accident. Respondents introduced evidence showing Helton's BAC at the time of the accident and elicited testimony that Helton left a voice message just prior to the accident in which he sounded intoxicated. Respondents also called witnesses who testified concerning the approximate time Helton left The Getaway and the amount of alcohol he consumed between leaving The Getaway and the time of the wreck. We find that this evidence provided reasonable support for Brewer's testimony. Though Respondents' case was based on circumstantial evidence, Respondents sufficiently developed the facts to form the basis of Brewer's testimony. Hence, the trial court did not err in admitting Brewer's testimony.