Opinion ID: 2674882
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Pytlewski

Text: The district court also excluded the Pytlewski report under Rule 702, stating that it was not the product of reliable principles and methods, and under Rule 701,2 stating that the report does not explain how the opinions are rationally based on the perceptions of the witness. Because Pytlewski was proffered as an expert witness, however, only Rule 702 applies. Pytlewski was retained to review and comment on the report prepared by Hartford’s expert Dr. Kumar of SEAL Laboratories. The district court appears to have accepted Pytlewski as a qualified expert, excluding his report solely based on reliability. The district court concluded that Pytlewski’s report was not the product of reliable principles and methods. An expert opinion is reliable “if the knowledge underlying it has a reliable basis in the knowledge and experience of the relevant discipline.” Alaska Rent-A-Car, 738 F.3d at 969 (quoting Primiano, 598 F.3d at 565). Pytlewski’s opinions are based on his knowledge and experience as a professional engineer and metallurgist. For 2 Fed. R. Evid. 701 provides: “If a witness is not testifying as an expert, testimony in the form of an opinion is limited to one that is: (a) rationally based on the witness’s perception; (b) helpful to clearly understanding the witness’s testimony or to determining a fact in issue; and (c) not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge within the scope of Rule 702.” 16 PYRAMID TECH. V. ALLIED PUBLIC ADJUSTERS example, Pytlewski countered Dr. Kumar’s statement that the damage to Pyramid’s inventory could not have been caused by the flood because the corrosion was not uniform by explaining that metal exposed to moisture would not oxidize uniformly. This opinion is within the knowledge and experience of a metallurgist. See, e.g., Stilwell v. Smith & Nephew, Inc., 482 F.3d 1187, 1192–93 (9th Cir. 2007) (holding admissible metallurgist’s expert testimony that nails were poorly manufactured and could have been designed to last longer); White v. Ford Motor Co., 312 F.3d 998, 1008 (9th Cir. 2002) opinion amended on denial of reh’g, 335 F.3d 833 (9th Cir. 2003) (describing metallurgist’s testimony that was “well within his metallurgical expertise” when he “identified wear on the ratchet wheel of the brake that showed repeated tip-on-tip engagement rather than the proper engagement”); see also 6 Am. Jur. Trials 555 (describing common use of expert metallurgists to describe, among other things, causes and effects of corrosion). The “reliability” test is flexible and should be applied based on the circumstances of the case. Given the subject matter and type of opinions that Pytlewski rendered and his knowledge and experience, Pytlewski’s opinion is reliable. See Messick, 2014 WL 1328182, at . The exclusion of Pytlewski’s report is prejudicial because his report provides evidence from which a fact finder could disregard the opinion of Dr. Kumar and reasonably infer damages and causation relating to the flood. Further, Pytlewski’s deposition testimony links the flood as at least a partial cause of the damage to Pyramid’s inventory. Thus, the district court abused its discretion in excluding Pytlewski’s expert report and testimony. PYRAMID TECH. V. ALLIED PUBLIC ADJUSTERS 17