Opinion ID: 200029
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of Dr. Batlle's Testimony

Text: 32 In considering plaintiffs' second ground for appeal, we note at the outset that the court never characterized Dr. Batlle as an expert witness, stating instead that Dr. Batlle would be treated as the surgeon who operated on LaPlace-Bayard. Nevertheless, plaintiffs argue that Dr. Batlle gave expert testimony at trial and should not have been allowed to do so without providing an expert report and disclosing his qualifications as required by Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(2)(B). 8 33 Despite these general averments, plaintiffs fail to identify which particular statements of Dr. Batlle should have been excluded. Nor did they raise at trial any specific objections (save one as to relevancy) during the course of Dr. Batlle's direct examination. Having carefully examined the trial transcript of Dr. Batlle's direct testimony ourselves, we cannot identify a colorable basis for plaintiffs' claim of error. 34 In his direct examination, Dr. Batlle methodically took the jury through a day-by-day account of his actions and decisions relating to the care and treatment of LaPlace-Bayard at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital from August 7, 1998, through her discharge on August 16, 1998. He was never asked on direct to render opinions regarding treatment by other physicians or other institutions. Dr. Batlle only offered opinions beyond the scope of his own treatment of LaPlace-Bayard in response to plaintiffs' own questions on cross-examination as to the treatment given to LaPlace-Bayard at Palms West Hospital after her discharge from Auxilio Mutuo Hospital. 9 Having opened the door to that testimony, plaintiffs cannot now be heard to complain about the court's admission of such testimony. 10 See McDonald v. Federal Laboratories, Inc., 724 F.2d 243, 248 (1st Cir.1984) (rejecting claim of error in admission of expert testimony where challenged testimony was elicited by appellant's counsel); see also Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. v. Tryniecki, 293 F.2d 289, 290-91 (5th Cir.1961) (similar result); 11 Charles Alan Wright, Arthur R. Miller & Mary Kay Kane, Federal Practice and Procedure § 2885 at 463 n. 14 (2d ed.1995) (citing cases where court refused to notice any alleged error where such error was invited by complaining party). 35 Affirmed.