Shifting responsibility. Where would it land?

I helped a fellow surveyor set a control network on a boundary retracement he is working on.

We sometimes bounce ideas off one and other when resolving a boundary. Apparently, he has traced the subject and adjoining deeds back and is satisfied with the chain of the descriptions.

Another company surveyed his southern adjoiner and marked the lines. His client thinks the line is over on her by about 15 feet.

The survey to the south crossed a state highway. On the east side the surveyed line is about 22 feet south of the line on the west side. Offset clearly shown on the plat from the other company that the neighbor to the south provided, as well as clearly marked on the ground by recent survey. The prior deed work all points to a straight line front to back on a fairly long line which crosses the highway.

The fellow I set the network up for contacted the surveyors office that produced the survey to the south to check into why there was an offset in the line.

The company informed him that the surveyor who stamped the drawing was no longer there and provided his contact information. It seems they believe he is solely responsible for any question on the work product.

If it were at my company, I would be jumping on finding out what is right or wrong. Even though the signing surveyor is no longer there, the company name, logo, and reputation is all over the survey.

I guess this is one of those instances discussed occasionally where the signing surveyor for a company should have a copy of the work he stamped (although I am betting that is not the case).