Perez-Garcia v. Puerto Rico Ports Authority

873 F. Supp. 2d 435, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94550, 2012 WL 2686080
District Court, D. Puerto Rico·Decided July 9, 2012·No. Civil No. 08-1448 (GAG)·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

ORDER

GUSTAVO A. GELPÍ, District Judge.

Juan Carlos Perez-Garcia (“Plaintiff’) filed the present action against Puerto Rico Ports Authority (“PRPA”), Caribbean Airport Facilities, Inc. (“CAF”), and their respective insurance companies,1 for damages sustained when a golf cart fell from the second level at the San Juan International Airport (“SJU Airport”). {See Docket No. 388). Plaintiff was being transported to Kingfisher Air Services’ (“KF”) hangar facility at the SJU Airport on May 2, 2006, when the golf cart fell from a vertical reciprocating conveyor (“VRC”) on the second floor to the first floor. After Plaintiff filed his complaint, CAF filed a third-party complaint against KF, KF’s insurance company Antilles Insurance Company (“Antilles”), Club Car LLC (“Club Car”) and Bayamon Golf Cars (“Bayamon Golf’) seeking contribution and/or indemnity from these defendants in the event CAF Defendants were found liable in the original action.

The present matter involves two motions in limine, one submitted by Plaintiffs (Docket No. 637) and one submitted by Club Car (Docket No. 646), both seeking to exclude the expert testimony of Rick Galdos (“Galdos”). Plaintiffs argue that certain portions of Galdos’ testimony should be excluded because Galdos fails to substantiate his opinions with factual evidence or scientific principles. Club Car generally argues that Galdos does not qualify as an expert as required by Rule 702 and Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharm., 509 U.S. 579, 597, 113 S.Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993), or that his testimony would be unfairly prejudicial under Rule 403. CAF and PRPA opposed both motions at Docket Nos. 669 and 678 respectively. For the following reasons, the court GRANTS Plaintiffs’ motion at Docket No. 637 and GRANTS Club Car’s motion at Docket No. 646.

I. Legal Standard

The admission of expert testimony is governed by Federal Rule of Evidence 702. That rule provides that:

[440] [a] witness who is qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education may testify in the form of an opinion or otherwise if: (a) the expert’s scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will help the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue; (b) the testimony is based on sufficient facts or data; (c) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods; and (d) the expert has reliably applied the principles and methods to the facts of the case.

Fed.R.Evid. 702.

The trial court acts as a gate-keeper as the judge must ensure an expert’s testimony is both relevant and is based on a reliable foundation. See Daubert, 509 U.S. at 597, 113 S.Ct. 2786 (1993); U.S. v. Mooney, 315 F.3d 54, 62 (1st Cir.2002).

.The Daubert Court identified four factors that may assist the trial court in determining whether or not scientific expert testimony was reliable: “(1) whether the theory or technique can bé and has been tested; (2) whether the technique has been subject to peer review and publication; (3) the technique’s known or potential rate of error; and (4) the level of the theory or technique’s acceptance within the relevant discipline.” Mooney, 315 F.3d at 62 (citing Daubert, 509 U.S. at 593-94, 113 S.Ct. 2786). These factors were later held to apply to all expert testimony, not just scientific testimony. See Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael, 526 U.S. 137, 147, 119 S.Ct. 1167, 143 L.Ed.2d 238 (1999). The factors are not a checklist for the trial judge to follow, but rather the inquiry is a flexible one, allowing the trial judge to determine and adapt these factors to fit the particular case at bar. See Kumho, 526 U.S. at 150, 119 S.Ct. 1167; Milward v. Acuity Specialty Prods. Grp., Inc., 639 F.3d 11, 15-16 (1st Cir.2011). “Proponents ... do not have to demonstrate that the assessments of their experts are correct, only that their opinions are reliable.” Rivera-Cruz v. Latimer, Biaggi, Rachid & Godreau, LLP, 2008 WL 2446331 at *2 (D.P.R. June 16, 2008) (citing Ruiz-Troche v. Pepsi Cola of P.R. Bottling Co., 161 F.3d 77, 85 (1st Cir.1998)). While the general focus of this inquiry is the principles and methodology relied upon by the expert, the court may consider the congruity of the data and the opinion proffered by the expert. See Gen. Elec. Co. v. Joiner, 522 NS! 136, 146, 118 S.Ct. 512, 139 L.Ed.2d 508 (1997) (holding a court may conclude there is too great an analytical gap between data and the opinion proffered); Ruiz-Troche, 161 F.3d at 81.

II. Legal Analysis

Club Car’s motion primarily focuses on whether Galdos is qualified as an expert to offer testimony in this case and will be discussed in Section A. Club Car’s and Plaintiffs’ arguments overlap to the extent that the parties argue the offered testimony is unnecessary in this case and that Galdos’ conclusions run afoul of Rule 704. That analysis will be discussed Section B.

A. Club Car’s Motion to Exclude Galdos

CAF and PRPA offer Galdos as an expert in mechanical engineering and accident reconstruction. It cannot be questioned that Galdos is a highly educated engineer, as he received his B.A. and M.A. in mechanical engineering, as well as a Ph.D in engineering mechanics. (See 637-3.) Since 1984, he has been employed in the field of engineering. (See id.) Based on his education and experience, Galdos is qualified as an expert in mechanical engineering.

Much of this experience also serves to build his credentials as an accident reconstructionist. Galdos began as an accident [441] reconstructionist by providing engineering services to those reconstructing accident scenes, then later became president of an engineering consulting firm that provided these services in 1994. (See id.) Based on his education, experience and training, Galdos is qualified to give expert testimony in the areas of mechanical engineering and accident reconstruction. However, as discussed below, Galdos’ opinions and conclusions often overstep these areas and attempt to inform the jury as to the correct legal conclusion.

B. Plaintiffs’ Objections to Galdos’ Opinions

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Perez-Garcia v. Puerto Rico Ports Authority, 873 F. Supp. 2d 435, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94550, 2012 WL 2686080 (prd 2012).

873 F. Supp. 2d 435 (Perez-Garcia v. Puerto Rico Ports Authority) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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