Court Opinion

ID: 9672924
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:02:54.762788+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:19.299833
License: Public Domain

ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
In their motion for rehearing, the plaintiffs contend that this Court disregarded the causation testimony of one of their experts, Pierre Blais, Ph.D. We have again reviewed the testimony of this witness and find that it relates primarily to alleged defects in the silicone gel breast implants and not to causation. Although he was not designated to testify concerning causation, he was allowed, over vehement objection, to express some causation opinions. However, we find his testimony in this area unreliable under the Robinson/Havner13 criteria. As an organic chemist, he is a biomaterials expert and was not otherwise shown to be qualified to render an opinion on medical causation. He admitted to having no qualifications in medicine. His causation opinions have not been scientifically tested. Although he characterized those opinions as “objective”, he provided no objective criteria or measurement to support them. The record does not show that his opinions have been peer reviewed as contemplated under the Robinson criteria, and they have not been generally accepted by the scientific community. Most of his opinions were developed in the context of litigation. For these reasons, we find Blais’ causation testimony not reliable under the criteria established by the Texas Supreme Court.
Plaintiffs’ motion for rehearing is overruled.

. E.I.du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Robinson, 923 S.W.2d 549 (Tex.1995); Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Havner, 953 S.W.2d 706 (Tex.1997).