Court Opinion

ID: 9513676
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 22:38:56.216581+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:05:57.843234
License: Public Domain

KAPSNER, Justice,
concurring.
[¶ 23] Because the Kalfells have appealed only the applicability of the family car doctrine to the facts of this case and not the doctrine itself, I concur. I continue to be of the opinion that the family car doctrine is inconsistent with legislative acts mandating liability insurance and governing uninsured and underinsured motorists and, therefore, should be abolished. See McPhee v. Tufty, 2001 ND 51, 623 N.W.2d 390 (Kapsner, J., concurring in the result). One inconsistency between the statutes and the family car doctrine is highlighted in part V of the majority opinion regarding the type of damages which may be awarded. However, because the doctrine itself was not challenged, I agree the facts in evidence support its application.
[¶ 24] In ¶¶ 7 through 10, the majority opinion engages in a technical examination of an exception to the hearsay rule for admission of a medical bill summary prepared by the Workers Compensation Bureau. I do not join in that analysis because I do not believe the evidence is hearsay. Malchose is competent to testify about the basic facts of his treatment— when he was treated, who provided the treatments and what was the cost of his treatments. See, e.g., Barta v. Hinds, 1998 ND 104, ¶ 10, 578 N.W.2d 553; Erdmann v. Thomas, 446 N.W.2d 245 (N.D.1989). Offering this information in summary form is contemplated by the rules of evidence. N.D.R.Ev. 1006. The fact that the summary was prepared by someone else does not require finding an exception to the hearsay rule so long as the informa tion summarized could be testified to by the person offering the exhibit. As noted in ¶ 6 of the majority opinion, the summary exhibit was received based upon Malchose’s testimony that it reflected his medical bills. There was no abuse of discretion in its admission as a summary of evidence that Malchose himself was competent to give.
[¶ 25] Carol Ronning Kapsner