Nevis v. Rideout Memorial Hospital

District Court, E.D. California·Decided September 30, 2022·No. 2:17-cv-02295·Unknown

Opinion

JOSEPH DANIEL NEVIS, No. 2:17-cv-02295-DAD-AC Plaintiff, v. TENTATIVE RULINGS ON MOTIONS IN LIMINE RIDEOUT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, et al. (Doc. Nos. 161, 162, 163, 165, 167, 168, 169, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 178, 179, 180, Defendants. 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188)

The matter is before the court on the motions in limine filed on behalf of defendants Rideout Memorial Hospital (“Rideout”) (Doc. Nos. 161, 162, 163), Dr. Hector Lopez (Doc. Nos. 165, 167, 168, 169, 171, 180, 184), National Railroad Passenger Corporation (“Amtrak”) (Doc. Nos. 176, 178, 179, 181, 183, 185, 186), and plaintiff Joseph Daniel Nevis (Doc. Nos. 172, 173, 174, 175, 182, 187, 188). The court now issues the following tentative rulings addressing the parties’ motions in limine. See City of Pomona v. SQM N. Am. Corp., 866 F.3d 1060, 1070 (9th Cir. 2017) (noting that “a ruling on a motion in limine . . . falls entirely within the discretion of the district court”). These rulings are tentative only and the parties are free to submit further argument as to any such motion in limine (“MIL”) on Monday, October 3, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom 4, 15th floor. However, in particular, the court desires further argument addressing the following MILs: defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL Nos. 1, 5 (Doc. Nos. 165, 169) and defendant Amtrak’s MIL No. 5 (Doc. No. 183). Defendant Rideout’s MIL No. 1 (Doc. No. 161) Defendant Rideout’s motion in limine number one (Doc. No. 161) is DENIED. Defendant Rideout’s objections to the reliability of Dr. Andrew Lawson’s expert opinion concerns the weight of the evidence, not its admissibility. See Primiano v. Cook, 598 F.3d 558, 563–68 (9th Cir. 2010). Moreover, its disagreement with the phrasing of Dr. Lawson’s expert opinion is not a basis upon which to exclude that evidence. Defendant Rideout’s MIL No. 2 (Doc. No. 162) Defendant Rideout’s motion in limine number two (Doc. No. 162) is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. Randall Epperson, PhD’s first challenged opinion is speculative, as plaintiff conceded in his opposition brief, and must be excluded. However, the motion is otherwise denied because plaintiff states in his opposition brief that, “Dr. Epperson does not intend to offer testimony, as to the standard of care, for an emergency physician.” (Doc. No. 249 at 3.) Thus, Dr. Epperson will not be offered by plaintiff for the purpose upon which defendant Rideout seeks exclusion. Of course, defendant Rideout is free to cross-examine Dr. Epperson with respect to the challenged opinions and the basis for that testimony. Defendant Rideout’s MIL No. 3 (Doc. No. 163) Defendant Rideout’s motion in limine number three (Doc. No. 163) is DENIED without prejudice to defendant presenting an appropriate objection at trial. Because the pending motion requires the court to speculate regarding how certain testimony or evidence might be proffered at trial, however, the court declines to issue any advance ruling on this issue. See United States v. Browne, 829 F.2d 760, 761–62 (9th Cir. 1987). Defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL No. 1 (Doc. No. 165) Defendant Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number one (Doc. No. 165) is GRANTED. The court finds that the following statement pulled from a record made by paramedic Chalyssa Huebler that, “Yuba City PD states he is too intoxicated to book into jail,” is not one made for a medical diagnosis or treatment. Moreover, plaintiff has failed to make an adequate showing that Ms. Huebler’s record falls within the business records exception, or explained how plaintiff would resolve the remaining layer of hearsay involving the original statement made by “Yuba City PD” to Ms. Huebler. Plaintiff’s remaining theories of admissibility—namely, that nurses and Dr. Lopez independently documented that plaintiff was intoxicated in their own records based on their own personal interaction with plaintiff—do not provide a basis upon which to admit the statement recorded by Ms. Huebler as an exception to the rule against hearsay. Defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL No. 3 (Doc. No. 167)1 Defendant Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number three (Doc. No. 167) is DENIED. The court concludes that the probative value of evidence and testimony regarding ostensible agency and vicariously liability—a disputed fact in this case (Doc. No. 154 at 3)—is not substantially outweighed by any danger of confusion identified by defendant Dr. Lopez. Defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL No. 4 (Doc. No. 168) Defendant Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number four (Doc. No. 168) is DENIED without prejudice to defendant presenting an appropriate objection during the course of trial. Because the pending motion requires the court to speculate regarding whether certain expert testimony will be proffered at trial, the court declines to issue any advance ruling on this issue. See United States v. Browne, 829 F.2d 760, 761–62 (9th Cir. 1987). Defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL No. 5 (Doc. No. 169) Defendant Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number five (Doc. No. 169) is DENIED. This motion is partially duplicative of defendant Rideout’s motion in limine number two (Doc. No. 162) and the overlapping challenges to the opinions of Randall Epperson, PhD are denied as having been rendered moot by the court’s prior ruling on defendant Rideout’s motion. As with defendant Rideout’s motion, plaintiff has represented in his opposition that “Dr. Epperson does not intend to offer testimony, as to the standard of care, for an emergency physician.” (Doc. No. 264 at 3.) Thus, to the extent this motion seeks to exclude Dr. Epperson’s opinion as being offered for that purpose, it is denied. Finally, defendant Dr. Lopez seeks to preclude Dr. 1 Defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL No. 2 (Doc. No. 166) was withdrawn by defendant Dr. Lopez on September 28, 2022. (Doc. No. 298.) Epperson from testifying to the statement, “Police thought he was too drunk in public so brought him here,” found in his expert report because it is “inaccurate,” “foundationless,” subject to defendant Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number one. As to this statement, the motion is also denied because defendant has not provided a specific evidentiary basis to exclude the statement (e.g., hearsay) and the challenged statement is different than the one analyzed in Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number one. Defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL No. 7 (Doc. No. 171)2 Defendant Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number seven (Doc. No. 171) is DENIED. The court finds that the probative value of Dr. Andrew Lawson’s reference to “grossly negligent” is not substantially outweighed by any danger of unfair prejudice or confusion. Defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL No. 9 (Doc. No. 180)3 Defendant Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number nine (Doc. No. 180) is GRANTED without prejudice to plaintiff raising prior or subsequent lawsuits involving Dr. Hector Lopez on cross-examination for impeachment purposes only, if appropriate. However, plaintiff’s intention to offer evidence of lawsuits involving defendant Dr. Lopez to show that he “has a pattern of negligent conduct” is prohibited under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b). Defendant Dr. Hector Lopez’s MIL No. 10 (Doc. No. 184) Defendant Dr. Lopez’s motion in limine number ten (Doc. No. 184) is DENIED. As with defendant Rideout’s motion in limine number one (Doc. No. 161), defendant Dr. Lopez’s objections to the reliability of Dr. Andrew Lawson’s expert opinion concerns the weight of the evidence, not its admissibility. See Primiano v. Cook,

Nevis v. Rideout Memorial Hospital, (E.D. Cal. 2022).

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