Source: https://death.uslegal.com/wrongful-death-laws/south-carolina/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 06:02:38+00:00

Document:
The South Carolina Wrongful Death Statute can be found in S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-10. Pursuant to the Act, whenever the death of a person is caused by the wrongful act, neglect or default of another and the act, neglect or default is such as would, if death had not ensued, have entitled the party injured to maintain an action and recover damages in respect thereof, the person who would have been liable, if death had not ensued, shall be liable to an action for damages, notwithstanding the death of the person injured, although the death shall have been caused under such circumstances as make the killing in law a felony. In the event of the death of the wrongdoer, such cause of action shall survive against his personal representative[i].
Every such action shall be for the benefit of the wife or husband and child or children of the person whose death is caused, and, if there is no such wife, husband, child or children, then for the benefit of the parent or parents, and if there is no parents either, then for the benefit of the heirs of the person whose death is caused. Every such action shall be brought by or in the name of the executor or administrator of such person[ii].
Further, in the event of the death of an illegitimate child or the mother of an illegitimate child by the wrongful or negligent act of another, such illegitimate child or the mother or father or the heirs at law or the distributees of such illegitimate child shall have the same rights and remedies in regard to such wrongful or negligent act as though such illegitimate child had been born in lawful wedlock[iii].
In every such action the jury may give damages, including exemplary damages when the wrongful act, neglect, or default was the result of recklessness, willfulness, or malice, as they may think proportioned to the injury resulting from the death to the parties respectively for whom and for whose benefit such action shall be brought. The amount so recovered shall be divided among the before-mentioned parties in those shares as they would have been entitled to if the deceased had died intestate and the amount recovered had been personal assets of his or her estate. However, upon motion by either parent or any other party of a potential interest based upon the decedent having died intestate, the probate court may deny or limit either or both parent’s entitlement for a share of the proceeds if the court determines, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the parent or parents failed to reasonably provide support for the decedent and did not otherwise provide for the needs of the decedent during his or her minority[iv].
Any settlement of a wrongful death or survival action must be approved by either a probate court, circuit court, or United States District Court[v].
(A) Only a duly appointed personal representative, as defined in Section 62-1-201(30), shall have the authority to settle wrongful death or survival actions.
(1) the settlement agreement between the parties is reached before the matters reach trial, the personal representative shall petition the court in which the wrongful death or survival action has been filed and follow the procedure for settlement.
(3) the settlement agreement is reached after notice of appeal is filed, the personal representative shall petition the appellate court before which the matter is pending to remand the case to the circuit court for consideration of the settlement agreement.
(G) When the administration of an estate is final except for the administration of survival action proceeds because of the pendency of a survival action brought on behalf of the estate, the probate court may issue, upon petition by the personal representative, a special order providing that no accounting is required until the survival action is settled or verdict rendered in a trial. The attorney for the personal representative must notify the probate court immediately upon completion of the survival action and furnish the court with a copy of the order approving settlement or a copy of the judgment, whichever is appropriate[vi].
The executor or administrator, plaintiff in the action, shall be liable for costs in case there is a verdict for the defendant, non-suit, or discontinuance, out of the goods, chattels, and lands of the testator or intestate, if any[vii].
[i] S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-10.
[ii]S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-20.
[iii] S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-30.
[iv] S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-40.
[v] S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-41.
[vi] S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-42.
[vii]S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-50 .

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