Opinion ID: 2624063
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Prejudgment Interest Award

Text: ¶ 23 The City challenges the trial court's award of prejudgment interest to Scoccolo. Prejudgment interest may be awarded when the claim is liquidated. Safeco Ins. Co. v. Woodley, 150 Wash.2d 765, 773, 82 P.3d 660 (2004) (citing Prier v. Refrigeration Eng'g Co., 74 Wash.2d 25, 442 P.2d 621 (1968)). A claim is liquidated where the evidence furnishes data which, if believed, makes it possible to compute the amount with exactness, without reliance on opinion or discretion. Prier, 74 Wash.2d at 32, 442 P.2d 621 (citing Charles T. McCormick, Handbook on the Law of Damages § 54 (1935)). A claim is unliquidated `where the exact amount of the sum to be allowed cannot be definitely fixed from the facts proved, disputed or undisputed, but must in the last analysis depend upon the opinion or discretion of the judge or jury as to whether a larger or a smaller amount should be allowed.' Hansen v. Rothaus, 107 Wash.2d 468, 473, 730 P.2d 662 (1986) (quoting Prier, 74 Wash.2d at 33, 442 P.2d 621). `[T]he existence of a dispute over the whole or part of the claim should not change the character of the claim from one for a liquidated, to one for an unliquidated, sum. . . .' Prier, 74 Wash.2d at 33, 442 P.2d 621 (emphasis omitted) (quoting McCormick, supra, § 54). The award of prejudgment interest is reviewed for abuse of discretion. Kiewit-Grice v. State, 77 Wash.App. 867, 872, 895 P.2d 6 (1995). ¶ 24 The City argues Scoccolo's claim was not liquidated because the jury did not award the damage amount requested by Scoccolo, $935,433.27, or the amount argued by the City, $364,904.00, but rather $425,533.00. According to the City, the fact the jury awarded this sum necessarily means the jury exercised some degree of discretion, and therefore the claim is unliquidated. To bolster its argument the City cites to Kiewit-Grice, where the court stated, [i]t is clear that the jury did not accept [plaintiff's] figure. Thus, it cannot be said that the jury did not exercise any opinion or discretion in reaching its award. Kiewit-Grice, 77 Wash. App. at 873, 895 P.2d 6. In Kiewit-Grice the contractor sued the Department of Transportation alleging the department breached the construction contract by providing defective concrete specifications for the project, forcing Kiewit-Grice to perform additional repair work at substantial expense. The department challenged the reasonableness of the claimed expenditures, including providing expert testimony, and the court agreed the award of prejudgment interest was improper. Id. at 874, 895 P.2d 6. ¶ 25 However, as noted by the Court of Appeals, in this case the City did not challenge the reasonableness of the expenses submitted by Scoccolo. Furthermore, `the sum is still `liquidated' . . . even though the adversary successfully challenges the amount and succeeds in reducing it.' Prier, 74 Wash.2d at 33, 442 P.2d 621 (quoting Charles T. McCormick, supra, § 54). The trial court properly awarded Scoccolo prejudgment interest.