[COLUMBIA, S.C.,] Collins & Lacy, P.C. is pleased to announce that Joel W. Collins was awarded the 2009 “Masters in Trial Award” by the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) Foundation during their recent national board of directors meeting in Indian Wells, California. The ABOTA Foundation was established in 1991 to provide education to the… Continue Reading
Archives for January 2010
The Explainer: Collateral Source Rule in South Carolina
In South Carolina, the Collateral Source Rule provides that compensation received by an injured party from a source wholly independent of the wrongdoer will not reduce the amount of damages owed by the wrongdoer. In other words, under the Collateral Source Rule, if an injured plaintiff receives compensation for his injuries from a source wholly… Continue Reading
The Explainer: Plaintiff’s Duty to Mitigate Damages
In South Carolina, a party who has suffered injury or damage from the actionable conduct of another is under a duty to make all reasonable efforts to minimize the damages incurred. To the extent that he reasonably could have so minimized those damages and failed to do so, he is not entitled to recover from… Continue Reading
The Explainer: General Overview of Punitive Damages in South Carolina
In South Carolina, punitive damages, also known as exemplary damages, are designed to serve at least three purposes: punishment of the defendant’s reckless, willful, wanton, or malicious conduct; deterrence of similar future conduct by the defendant or others; and compensation for the reckless or willful invasion of the plaintiff’s private rights. The paramount purpose for… Continue Reading