(Internal quotation marks omitted.) Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 35, 372 A.2d 516 (1976); Schomer v. Shilepsky, 169 Conn. 186, 191, 363 A.2d 128 (1975). "Implicit in this standard is the requirement . . . that the expert's knowledge or experience must be directly applicable to the matter specifically in issue.
The exercise of such discretion is not to be disturbed unless it has been abused or the error is clear and involves a misconception of the law. State v. Palmer, 196 Conn. 157, 166, 491 A.2d 1075 (1985); State v. Asherman, 193 Conn. 695, 716, 478 A.2d 227 (1984), cert. denied, 470 U.S. 1050, 105 S.Ct. 1749, 84 L.Ed.2d 814 (1985); State v. Biller, supra; State v. Wilson, 180 Conn. 481, 489-90, 429 A.2d 931 (1980); Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 35, 372 A.2d 516 (1976); State v. Elliott, 8 Conn. App. 566, 572, 513 A.2d 1285, cert. denied, 201 Conn. 813, 517 A.2d 630 (1986). `In order to render an expert opinion the witness must be qualified to do so and there must be a factual basis for the opinion.
Judge Dorsey did not abuse his discretion in admitting Mantho's testimony because the testimony had a proper factual foundation. The defendants rely on Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 372 A.2d 516 (1976), to support their argument that because Mantho did not visit the scene of the collision until August 1998, more than three years after the accident, his testimony should have been excluded because it was not based on his personal observations. In Going, like in the present case, the accident reconstructionist did not visit the scene of the accident until three years after the incident and after the road had been repaved.
Thus, "[t]he facts upon which an expert's opinion is based are an important consideration in determining the admissibility of his [or her] opinion." Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 34, 372 A.2d 516 (1976). The plaintiff's testimony concerning the cause of her injury and the subsequent deterioration of her medical condition furnished the facts upon which Becker's expert testimony was based.
This broad discretion extends to the admissibility of expert testimony which the trial court finds is without probative value for the jury. Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 35, 372 A.2d 516 (1976). Here the trial court ruled that the plaintiff's questions were phrased so that the answers elicited would not have been helpful to the jury in determining Leibowitz' experience with the issues at hand.
The exercise of such discretion is not to be disturbed unless it has been abused or the error is clear and involves a misconception of the law. State v. Palmer, 196 Conn. 157, 166, 491 A.2d 1075 (1985); State v. Asherman, 193 Conn. 695, 716, 478 A.2d 227 (1984), cert. denied, 470 U.S. 1050, 105 S.Ct. 1749, 84 L.Ed.2d 814 (1985); State v. Biller, supra; State v. Wilson, 180 Conn. 481, 489-90, 429 A.2d 931 (1980); Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 35, 372 A.2d 516 (1976); State v. Elliott, 8 Conn. App. 566, 572, 513 A.2d 1285, cert. denied, 201 Conn. 813, 517 A.2d 630 (1986). "In order to render an expert opinion the witness must be qualified to do so and there must be a factual basis for the opinion."
The court's decision "is not to be disturbed unless [its] discretion has been abused, or the error is clear and involves a misconception of the law. Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 35, 372 A.2d 516 (1976)." State v. Biller, supra.
" `[U]nless that discretion has been abused or the error is clear and involves a misconception of the law,'" its ruling will not be disturbed. (Citation omitted.) Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 35, 372 A.2d 516 (1976). "The true test for the admissibility of expert testimony is `whether the witnesses offered as experts have any peculiar knowledge or experience, not common to the world, which renders their opinions founded on such knowledge or experience any aid to the court or the jury in determining the questions at issue.
We agree that the facts upon which an expert Opinion is based are important in considering the relevance, and hence the weight, as well as the admissibility of the testimony. See Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 34, 372 A.2d 516 (1976). Nevertheless, we do not find the foundation inadequate in this case.
The trial court has wide discretion in ruling on the admissibility of expert testimony and, unless that discretion has been abused or the error is clear and involves a misconception of the law, its ruling will not be disturbed. Going v. Pagani, 172 Conn. 29, 35, 372 A.2d 516 (1976). The issue here was not solely whether the composite sketch and the photograph looked alike. For that purpose expert testimony was unnecessary and would have been inadmissible.