--- title: "Pulmonary Medicine Expert’s COPD Opinions Admitted" meta: "og:description": "The pulmonary medicine expert was allowed to testify because his expert opinion was based on multiple substantial sources" "og:title": "Pulmonary Medicine Expert’s COPD Opinions Admitted" author: "Expert Witness Profiler" description: "The pulmonary medicine expert was allowed to testify because his expert opinion was based on multiple substantial sources" --- # Pulmonary Medicine Expert’s COPD Opinions Admitted Posted on May 20, 2026 by Expert Witness Profiler Plaintiff, Edward Montelongo, alleged that he has developed asbestosis due to exposure to asbestos through his work at various facilities, including Avondale Shipyards, Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp., and Shell Oil Company’s Norco and Yscloskey facilities. Defendants Huntington Ingalls Incorporated and Shell USA, Inc.’s (collectively, “Defendants”) retained medical expert Dr. [Andrew J. Ghio](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Andrew-Ghio/1550995). Plaintiff asked the Court to preclude Ghio from testifying at trial that Plaintiff has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”). ## **Pulmonary Medicine Expert Witness** [Andrew Jonathan Ghio](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Andrew-Ghio/1550995) is board certified in both internal medicine and pulmonary medicine. He is certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (“NIOSH”) as a B Reader, meaning that he is certified to interpret radiology and diagnose lung conditions associated with dust exposures, including asbestos. He is widely published in the fields of pulmonary disease and internal medicine. [Get the full story on challenges to Andrew Ghio ’s expert opinions and testimony with an in-depth Challenge Study](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/order/add?eId=1550995&pId=3). ## **Discussion by the Court** In this case, Plaintiff did not contest that Ghio is qualified to testify as an expert. Rather, Plaintiff challenged the reliability of Ghio’s opinion that Plaintiff has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”), arguing that it is unreliable in light of the uncontested fact that Plaintiff did not meet the American Thoracic Society (“ATS”) and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (“GOLD”) criteria for a diagnosis of COPD. However, as Defendants argued, Ghio bases his expert opinion on multiple substantial sources other than the ATS and GOLD diagnostic criteria. The Court cannot determine that Plaintiff’s failure to satisfy the ATS and GOLD diagnostic criteria operates as a full-stop bar on Defendants’ experts testifying reliably that Plaintiff may have COPD. ## **Held** The Court denied Plaintiff Edward Montelongo’s motion to partially exclude the testimony of medical expert Dr. Andrew Ghio. ## **Key Takeaway** The fact that opposing parties do not agree with the facts relied upon by an expert or his interpretation of those facts does not render his opinions unreliable; challenges related to the basis of an expert’s opinions are thus best suited for cross-examination, not exclusion. ## **Case Details:** --- ## **You Might Also Like** ![Industrial Hygiene Expert's Contaminated House Theory Admitted](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/blog-pic-640X480-2026-05-22T191941.479.jpg) [**Industrial Hygiene Expert’s Contaminated House Theory Admitted**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/pulmonary-medicine-experts-copd-opinions-admitted/industrial-hygiene-experts-contaminated-house-theory-admitted)![Correctional Healthcare Expert Was Allowed to Opine on Drug Addiction](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/blog-pic-640X480-2026-05-22T174929.135.jpg) [**Correctional Healthcare Expert Was Allowed to Opine on Drug Addiction**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/pulmonary-medicine-experts-copd-opinions-admitted/correctional-healthcare-expert-was-allowed-to-opine-on-drug-addiction)![Accident Reconstruction Expert Not Allowed to Opine on Statutory Violation](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/blog-pic-640X480-2026-05-22T142444.026.jpg) [**Accident Reconstruction Expert Not Allowed to Opine on Statutory Violation**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/pulmonary-medicine-experts-copd-opinions-admitted/accident-reconstruction-expert-not-allowed-to-opine-on-statutory-violation)![Fire Investigation Expert Was Allowed to Opine on UL Listing](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/blog-pic-640X480-2026-05-21T150819.636.jpg) [**Fire Investigation Expert Was Allowed to Opine on UL Listing**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/pulmonary-medicine-experts-copd-opinions-admitted/fire-investigation-expert-was-allowed-to-opine-on-ul-listing)![Pulmonary Medicine Expert's COPD Opinions Admitted](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/blog-pic-640X480-2026-05-20T195112.411.jpg) [**Pulmonary Medicine Expert’s COPD Opinions Admitted**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/pulmonary-medicine-experts-copd-opinions-admitted/pulmonary-medicine-experts-copd-opinions-admitted)