Appeals Court Finds Failure to Provide Expert Testimony Warrants Summary Judgment

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A woman's failure to identify an expert witness to support her claims against two healthcare defendants and three pharmaceutical companies warranted a trial court's decision to award the defendants summary judgment, an Ohio appellate court ruled on June 7. Kerpelis v. Pfizer Inc. et al. No. 03 MA 17 (Ohio. App. Ct., 7th Dist.).

The 7th District of Ohio's Court of Appeal held that the trial court was correct in its ruling because Maria Kerplis' medical malpractice claims against the healthcare defendants and products liability claims against the pharmaceutical companies required expert testimony to demonstrate causation.

Kerpelis …