Interstate 107 » Senate takes up bill to cap damages in civil suits (AUDIO)

Senate takes up bill to cap damages in civil suits (AUDIO)

Posted By the South Carolina Radio Network On May 31, 2011 @ 6:13 PM In State & Local News | Comments Disabled

With a few days left in this year’s session, the Senate has taken up one of the year’s most talked-about bills. The measure commonly called “tort reform” will make some changes to how civil suits are resolved in the state–the most significant being a cap on damages meant to punish a losing defendant. The current proposal caps punitive damages at $350,000 or three times the compensatory, or corrective, award.

AUDIO: Senator Larry Martin has been trying to get a tort change through the Senate for two sessions (:18) ^[1]

Martin’s measure stalled at the end of the past session. This year, Martin has the active and outspoken support of Gov. Nikki Haley, who has called for caps.

AUDIO: Haley says to scrap the bill if it doesn’t have caps (:13) ^[2]

Senator Vincent Sheheen, an attorney, questions that there are any state cases resulting in awards that would justify the call for caps.

AUDIO: Darlington’s Gerald Malloy also questions changes to the current law (:25) ^[3]

Punitive damages are awarded to victims in cases of wrongdoing or negligence.

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URLs in this post:

[1] AUDIO: Senator Larry Martin has been trying to get a tort change through the Senate for two sessions (:18) : http://www.southcarolinaradionetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1HaleyTortTwo11.mp3

[2] AUDIO: Haley says to scrap the bill if it doesn’t have caps (:13): http://www.southcarolinaradionetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1HaleyTortTwo1.mp3

[3] AUDIO: Darlington’s Gerald Malloy also questions changes to the current law (:25): http://www.southcarolinaradionetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1MalloyTortTwo1.mp3

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