Opinion ID: 1366771
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Downer's Duty to Subsequent Purchasers

Text: Downer contends that he owed no duty to subsequent purchasers of the subject property. We disagree. Surveyors may be held liable for the damages that result from their mistakes, misrepresentations, or negligence. See generally Dag E. Ytreberg, Annotation, Surveyor's Liability for Mistake in, or Misrepresentation as to Accuracy of, Survey of Real Property, 35 A.L.R.3d 504 (1971). Lack of contractual privity between the parties is not a defense in an action for tortious negligence. Long v. Flanigan Warehouse Co., 79 Nev. 241, 245, 382 P.2d 399, 402 (1963) (the absence of contractual privity is not a defense to tort liability). A surveyor's duty has been held to extend to subsequent purchasers who relied upon the survey to their detriment. Rozny v. Marnul, 43 Ill.2d 54, 250 N.E.2d 656 (1969); Cook Consultants, Inc. v. Larson, 700 S.W.2d 231 (Tex.Ct.App. 1985). Downer fully understood that his survey would affect future purchasers of the divided Jacobsen tract. We conclude, consistent with the authorities cited above, that Downer indeed had a duty to the Hannemans as foreseeable subsequent purchasers of the property, and that Downer breached that duty, thereby causing damage to the Hannemans. Unfortunately, the district court properly found that Downer's negligence was the actual and legal cause of the Hannemans' damages, yet inexpicably assessed damages only against Swenson. This was error. Upon remand, the district court shall enter judgment for the amount of Hannemans' recalculated damages against both Swenson and Downer, jointly and severally. Of course, the modified judgment must again provide that Swenson may recover over against Downer any and all sums the Hannemans recover from Swenson. Finally, Downer invokes the statute of limitations as a bar to the Hannemans' claims against him. Downer's references to NRS 11.203, 11.204, and 11.205 are misplaced. These three statutes all apply to actions related to an aspect of construction that eventuates in damage to the plaintiff. Our legislature has not enacted a specific period of limitations for surveyors, and therefore the catch-all statute, NRS 11.220, applies. [8] The Hannemans were placed on notice that they may have had a cause of action against Downer in 1981. The complaint against Downer was filed by the Hannemans in 1984, well within the four-year period of limitations specified under NRS 11.220. Therefore, Downer's attempt to avoid liability based upon the expiration of the period of limitations is meritless. We have reviewed the remaining issues not heretofore discussed and have determined that they are without merit and need not be addressed.