--- title: "Toxicology Expert Witness’ Testimony Regarding the Plaintiff’s Blood Alcohol Content Admitted" meta: "og:description": "Toxicology expert witness allowed to testify despite overlooking pertinent information such as Corbin’s age, fatigue, or food consumption" "og:title": "Toxicology Expert Witness’ Testimony Regarding the Plaintiff’s Blood Alcohol Content Admitted" author: "Expert Witness Profiler" description: "Toxicology expert witness allowed to testify despite overlooking pertinent information such as Corbin’s age, fatigue, or food consumption" --- # Toxicology Expert Witness’ Testimony Regarding the Plaintiff’s Blood Alcohol Content Admitted Posted on July 26, 2024 by Expert Witness Profiler Plaintiff Sandra Corbin filed a civil rights action against the Defendants Bill Prummell, Jr., as sheriff of the Charlotte County, David Gensimore, and Aaron Williams as a result of Corbin sustaining a fractured leg, and a litany of related and subsequent damages due to excessive force employed by Williams. On November 29, 2019, at around 9:45 PM, Plaintiffs, John Corbin and Sandra Corbin were stopped by Charlote County Deputies Michael Davidson and Aaron Williams. Plaintiffs were stopped upon leaving a restaurant/bar where both Mr. Corbin and Mrs. Corbin consumed a couple of beers. During the traffic stop of Plaintiffs, Mr. Corbin was removed from the vehicle by Deputy Davidson to perform a field sobriety test (FST), while Mrs. Corbin remained in the vehicle. Mrs. Corbin attempted to go around Deputy Williams to observe what was happening with Mr. Corbin; and at that moment Deputy Williams deployed a “leg sweep” or “leg whip” with such force it took Mrs. Corbin to the ground; and fractured her leg. Corbin filed a motion to exclude the testimony of Defendants’ proposed expert, [Teri L. Stockham](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Teri-Stockham/1527237), a forensic toxicologist who opined that Sandra Corbin was intoxicated such that her normal faculties were impaired at the time of this incident. This opinion is based on scientific evidence of the hospital serum ethanol result of 206 mg/dL almost two hours after the incident. ## **Toxicology Expert Witness** [Teri Stockham](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Teri-Stockham/1527237) holds three degrees: A Bachelor of Science in chemistry, a Master of Science in forensic science and forensic toxicology, and a Doctor of Philosophy in pharmacology and toxicology. She has thirty-five years of toxicology experience, including a stint as Chief Toxicologist at Broward County Medical Examiner’s office. [Get the full story on challenges to Teri Stockham’s expert opinions and testimony with an in-depth Challenge Study.](https://app.expertwitnessprofiler.com/login?eId=1527237)  ## **Discussion by the Court** #### **Qualifications** The Corbins argued that Stockham was not qualified to testify on Sandra Corbin’s state of mind, behavior, etc., that her opinion was not based on reliable scientific or technical testing, and that the testimony will not assist the trier of fact. Plaintiffs argued that Stockham, as a toxicologist, is not qualified to opine on how Sandra Corbin comported herself during the night in question since Stockham “never met with Sandra Corbin, nor discussed the events of November 29, 2019.” The Court held that Stockham is not testifying that she personally knows Corbin behaved a certain way during the night in question. She is offering testimony regarding Corbin’s blood alcohol content (BAC) and the “signs and symptoms” she would “expect” with that BAC. Hence, the Court held that Stockham is qualified as an expert to interpret BAC “not because of her familiarity with Sandra Corbin, but becauseof her familiarity with the analysis she was tasked with performing.” #### **Reliability** Plaintiffs argued that Stockham’s testimony was not reliable for many reasons, including because it relied not on statistical data but on Sandra Corbin’s blood alcohol level taken two hours after the event and did not consider pertinent deposition testimony or Sandra Corbin’s alcohol tolerance level. Stockham’s opinion is based “on scientific evidence of the hospital serum ethanol result of 206 mg/dL” which she converted to BAC. The Court held her opinion is reliable because it is generally accepted that alcohol content levels give reliable estimates of a person’s intoxication, and “[a]nalysis of blood samples gives the most accurate results.” #### **Assistance to the trier of fact** The third requirement asks “whether that reasoning or methodology properly can be applied to the facts in issue.” Plaintiffs argued that “an opinion or determination of intoxication” is unhelpful here as Florida’s driving under the influence statute is irrelevant and “there is no requisite or comparable BAC level under” Florida’s disorderly intoxication statute. The Court held that Stockham’s opinions regarding Corbin’s BAC and the effects expected of a person with that level of BAC “are helpful for the factfinder because, although the general effects of alcohol consumption are commonly known, the methodology for determining an individual’s BAC and an opinion on the associated physiological manifestations of a specific BAC level are beyond the understanding and experience of the average lay citizen and goes to the ultimate finding” of whether Corbin was intoxicated. ## **Held** The Court denied the Plaintiffs’ motion to exclude the testimony of Teri L. Stockham. ## **Key Takeaways:** None of Plaintiffs’ arguments to exclude Stockham’s testimony are persuasive. Stockham is qualified, her outlined opinion above is reliable, helpful, relevant, and its probative value does not outweigh the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading of the jury. - Even if accepted as true that, for example, certain deposition testimony was omitted, misstated, or contradicted and that pertinent information such as Corbin’s age, fatigue, or food consumption was overlooked, any such shortcomings would go to the weight of the evidence, not to admissibility. - Plaintiffs’ argument misconstrued Stockham’s offered testimony and applied a higher bar for the qualification of an expert than precedent required. ## **Case Details:** --- ## **You Might Also Like** ![Human Resources Expert Allowed to Opine on Termination](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/blog-pic-640X480-2026-04-22T200052.311.jpg) [**Human Resources Expert Allowed to Opine on Termination**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/toxicology-expert-witness-testimony-regarding-the-plaintiffs-blood-alcohol-content-admitted/human-resources-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-termination)![Neuropsychology Expert Not Allowed to Opine on Cognitive Decline](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/blog-pic-640X480-2026-04-22T144728.528.jpg) [**Neuropsychology Expert Not Allowed to Opine on Cognitive Decline **](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/toxicology-expert-witness-testimony-regarding-the-plaintiffs-blood-alcohol-content-admitted/neuropsychology-expert-not-allowed-to-opine-on-cognitive-decline)![Human Factors Expert Not Allowed to Opine on the Tile](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/blog-pic-640X480-2026-04-21T191749.960.jpg) [**Human Factors Expert Not Allowed to Opine on the Tile**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/toxicology-expert-witness-testimony-regarding-the-plaintiffs-blood-alcohol-content-admitted/human-factors-expert-not-allowed-to-opine-on-the-tile)![Insurance Expert Not Allowed to Opine on Legal Duties](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/blog-pic-640X480-2026-04-21T155751.487.jpg) [**Insurance Expert Not Allowed to Opine on Legal Duties**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/toxicology-expert-witness-testimony-regarding-the-plaintiffs-blood-alcohol-content-admitted/insurance-expert-not-allowed-to-opine-on-legal-duties)![Law And Legal Expert Not Allowed to Opine on Contract Formation](https://ewp-blog.expertwitnessprofiler.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/blog-pic-640X480-2026-04-20T213123.718.jpg) [**Law And Legal Expert Not Allowed to Opine on Contract Formation**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/toxicology-expert-witness-testimony-regarding-the-plaintiffs-blood-alcohol-content-admitted/law-and-legal-expert-not-allowed-to-opine-on-contract-formation)