Court Opinion

ID: 9696541
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:51:09.3505+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:23.355140
License: Public Domain

CONCURRING AND DISSENTING STATEMENT BY
ORIE MELVIN, J.:
¶ 1 I concur in the majority’s disposition granting a new trial on the basis that the verdict was against the weight of the evidence. I also agree with the majority’s resolution of Dr. Jain’s first two issues in his cross-appeal. However, I would find that his third and fourth evidentiary challenges have merit.
¶ 2 There is no dispute that a cardiologist acting within his or her specialty must be held to a higher standard of care than a general practitioner, as a matter of law. See Maurer, supra. However, I believe the testimony of cardiology experts Drs. Garrett and Beller should have been permitted in order for Dr. Jain to draw the distinction he wishes to present for the jury between the role of a cardiologist who is asked to perform a stress test as opposed to the role of a cardiologist who is asked to perform a comprehensive cardiology consultation.
¶ 3 I would also find the trial court erred in precluding Dr. Beller from giving his opinion regarding the fact that decedent may not have had a subtotal occlusion of the left coronary at the time of the stress test. Although a review of the expert report clearly reveals that Dr. Beller would have been unable to specifically state the extent of the occlusion present at that time, I believe that he should have been permitted to testify consistent with his report that “[f|alse negative studies are rarely seen in patients with subtotal occlusions of the proximal left coronary artery.” Therefore, I would permit Dr. Jain’s experts to testify with respect to these matters upon retrial. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.