Opinion ID: 1407200
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Testimony of Dr. Wood

Text: Generali alleges that the trial court erred in admitting the testimony of Dr. Oliver Wood, Jr. regarding the amount of punitive damages that would get the attention of Generali. It argues that Dr. Wood was not qualified because he never served on the board of an insurance company and that his testimony invaded the province of the jury. Qualification of an expert witness and the admissibility of his testimony are matters within the trial court's discretion. Lee v. Suess, ___ S.C. ___, 457 S.E.2d 344 (1995). `[D]efects in the amount and quality of education or experience go to the weight of the expert's testimony and not its admissibility.' McMillan v. Durant, 312 S.C. 200, 204, 439 S.E.2d 829, 831 (1993) (quoting State v. Schumpert, ___ S.C. ___, ___, 435 S.E.2d 859, 861 (1993)). The court did not abuse its discretion in admitting Wood's testimony. For twentynine years, Wood has been a professor of banking and finance at the University of South Carolina. He has served on a number of boards of directors and has extensive practical business experience. Therefore, there was ample evidence to find him qualified to testify. Wood testified that corporate directors generally are concerned about seeing increases in their corporations' surplus accounts. If the surplus does not increase, this would get their attention immediately. Generali's surplus, he indicated, increased $5.3 million last year. He did not tell the jury how much they should award in punitive damages. We do not find that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting this testimony; nor did Dr. Wood's testimony invade the province of the jury. See Hughes v. Children's Clinic, P.A, 269 S.C. 389, 237 S.E.2d 753 (1977).