Opinion ID: 3151871
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Double Award of Actual Damages

Text: Additionally, we conclude the judge properly doubled the jury's award of actual damages as subsection (1) of section 56-15-110 expressly provides that a person who recovers under the Dealers Act shall recover double the actual damages sustained. See Wigfall v. Tideland Utils., Inc., 354 S.C. 100, 111, 580 S.E.2d 100, 105 (2003) (The term 'shall' in a statute means that the action mandatory.). As previously discussed, subsection (2) of section 56-15-110 authorizes a person to sue in a representative capacity. Here, Freeman brought the action individually and on behalf of all other affected customers. The jury awarded actual damages in an amount equal to the closing fees charged to all Hendrick customers between 2002 and 2006. Because an award of double actual damages is statutorily mandated, whether the amount is awarded by the jury or the judge during post-trial proceedings is inconsequential. Thus, we affirm the judge's decision to double the award of actual damages. See Gardner v. Newsome Chevrolet-Buick, Inc., 304 S.C. 328, 331, 404 S.E.2d 200, 202 (1991) (recognizing that section 56-15-110 mandates the court to double actual damages as a statutory award to a prevailing plaintiff); cf. Adams v. Grant, 292 S.C. 581, 358 S.E.2d 142 (Ct. App. 1986) (holding that jury properly doubled actual damages awarded to car buyer under section 56-15-110(1) of the South Carolina Code).23