2012 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 38 - Insurance
Chapter 79 - MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE
Section 38-79-480 - Actions for damages.

(1) In an action for damages arising out of the rendering of medical services against a licensed health care provider covered under the fund, the provider shall within five days of receipt of summons and complaint, excluding the first day and holidays, give notice to the board of the action. If after reviewing the facts upon which the action is based it appears that the claim will exceed two hundred thousand dollars, the board may appear and actively defend the fund. In so defending, the board may retain counsel and pay out of the fund attorney's fees and expenses including court costs incurred in defending the fund. Any judgment affecting the fund may be appealed.

(2) It is the responsibility of the insurer providing insurance for a licensed health care provider who is also covered by the fund or for the self-insured provider covered by the fund to provide an adequate defense on any claim filed that potentially affects the fund with respect to these insurance contracts or a self-insured's liability. The insurers or self-insured providers must act in a fiduciary relationship with respect to any claim affecting the fund. No settlement exceeding two hundred thousand dollars per incident, or six hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate for one year, may be agreed to unless approved by the board.

(3) A person who has recovered a final judgment or a settlement approved by the board against a provider covered by the fund may file a claim with the board to recover that portion of the judgment or settlement which is in excess of two hundred thousand dollars for each incident or six hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate for one year, up to the amounts specified by the board pursuant to Section 38-79-430. If the fund incurs liability exceeding two hundred thousand dollars to any person under a single occurrence, the fund may not pay more than two hundred thousand dollars each year until the claim has been paid in full. However, the board may pay an amount in excess of two hundred thousand dollars so as to avoid the payment of interest.

(4) Claims filed against the fund must be paid in the order received within ninety days after filing unless the judgment is appealed. If the fund does not have enough money to pay all of the claims, claims received after the funds are exhausted are immediately payable the following year in the order in which they were received.

HISTORY: Former 1976 Code Section 38-59-180 [1976 Act No. 674, Section 8; 1986 Act No. 443, Sections 5, 6] recodified as Section 38-79-480 by 1987 Act No. 155, Section 1; 2000 Act No. 313, Section 2; 2008 Act No. 348, Section 10, eff June 16, 2008.