⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

The First Circuit hears Sandoval versus Mennonite General Hospital, a medical-malpractice appeal from Puerto Rico involving the care of a patient who died. The plaintiffs say doctors failed to obtain follow-up imaging recommended by a radiologist. Their expert would have said that this violated the required standard of medical care. The district judge excluded his testimony, finding that he had not reliably explained the basis for that standard. Without admissible expert evidence, the judge dismissed the claims against the doctors and the treating hospital without a trial. Mennonite General Hospital had already won judgment in an earlier ruling. Much of the appeal concerns whether the expert's report and later affidavit sufficiently explained his opinion. Daubert refers to the judge's screening of expert evidence for relevance and reliability. Sua sponte means acting on the court's own initiative. David Efron will speak for the plaintiffs.

Sandoval, et al. v. Mennonite General Hospital, Inc., et al. (No. 25-1270) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, argued November 2, 2026.