Opinion ID: 1309966
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: was vallance properly qualified as an expert witness?

Text: Anthony Vallance was questioned at length on direct and cross-examination regarding his qualifications to render an opinion on building repair costs for the project in question. His testimony revealed that Vallance was a quantity surveyor [1] and a certified member of the American Association of Cost Engineers, the latter requiring proof of expertise, education and experience in the profession of cost estimating before membership is extended. In the United States, Vallance had been involved in determining construction costs of an $81 million facility in Chicago known as the State of Illinois Center, a $14 million academic building at George Washington University in Washington, D. C., multi-family housing projects of the Federal Housing Program, and miscellaneous projects in Alexandria, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Virginia, and at Salisbury, Maryland. He was specifically asked by the court if he was familiar with building costs in the Alexandria area, and Vallance responded in the affirmative. This court has consistently followed the rule set forth in Swersky v. Higgins, 194 Va. 983, 76 S.E.2d 200 (1953), which holds that a trial court should not be reversed for permitting a witness to testify as an expert unless it clearly appears that he was not qualified in the field in which he tendered his evidence. 194 Va. at 985, 76 S.E.2d at 202. See also Whitworth v. State Highway Commissioner, 209 Va. 95, 99-100, 161 S.E.2d 698, 702 (1968). From our reading of the testimony presented at trial it is readily apparent that Vallance possessed the necessary credentials and expertise required of a building repair estimator, and we will not disturb the ruling of the lower court. Harkins argues that Vallance should not have been permitted to testify absent personal knowledge of building repair costs in the Alexandria area, the situs of the project in question. Vallance testified however, that he was familiar with building costs in the area. The trial court found he was knowledgeable on the matter. We will not disturb that finding, and accordingly, we reject Harkins' contention. We therefore conclude that Vallance could properly testify as to the amount of repair costs he believed would be required to bring the project into full compliance with the building contract.