Drowning In Dirt: Fill-And-Build Home Lots Raise Community Flood Risk

The soul of this Florida Panhandle city lives in the Tanyard, a 200-year-old neighborhood so steeped in history that locals give it an extra capital ‘T’ -- as in ‘The Tanyard.’ It has also seen big-T troubles: Jim Crow-era segregation, heavy industrialization, multiple hurricane batterings, and a half-century of disinvestment and blight.
May 11, 2022 Legislation & Regulation Property Florida Louisiana South Carolina Texas

Dram Shop Liability: Lawsuits Shutter Popular Bar On Hilton Head Island

The owner of a bar in the popular ‘Barmuda Triangle’ on Hilton Head Island says he was forced to shut down because of lawsuits stemming from the devastating Hilton Head bridge crash that killed three people in May.
December 23, 2021 Liability Litigation South Carolina

The 2021-2022 Judicial Hellholes Report

In its recently released annual report, the ATRA identified 8 jurisdictions on its 2021 hellholes list – which, in order, include: (1) California (with the plaintiffs’ bar taking advantage of unique California laws like the Private Attorney General Act); (2) New York City (particularly regarding Americans With Disabilities Act accessibility claims and an activist attorney general battling climate change with energy companies), (3) Georgia....
December 10, 2021 Litigation California Georgia Illinois Louisiana Missouri

Judge Says Multi-Million Dollar Murdaugh Insurance Policy Doesn’t Cover Boat Crash That Killed Teen

A federal judge last week ruled that a Pennsylvania-based insurance company is not on the hook for any potential liabilities generated by suspended South Carolina attorney Richard Alexander ‘Alex’ Murdaugh or his son Richard Alexander ‘Buster’ Murdaugh, Jr. in connection with the death of a teen in a 2019 boating accident.
September 27, 2021 Liability Litigation South Carolina

Tropical Storm Fred Weakens, Spawns Twisters And Flooding

Tropical Storm Fred weakened to a depression and spawned several apparent tornadoes in Georgia on Tuesday as it dumped heavy rains into the Appalachian mountains along a path that could cause flash floods as far north as upstate New York.
August 17, 2021 Property Alabama Florida Georgia North Carolina South Carolina

South Carolina Boosts Insurance Fraud Investigation Capabilities

The South Carolina Department of Insurance (SCDOI) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to transfer insurance fraud enforcement to the SCDOI.
July 26, 2021 Fraud South Carolina

10-foot Wave from Tropical Storm Elsa Hit Docks, Adding to Port Royal’s Tornado Damage

Port Royal bore the brunt of the area’s damage from Tropical Storm Elsa earlier this month when a tornado hit downtown. But the storm also spawned a large wave that crashed into an isolated area of the town’s waterfront, cracking more than 30 wooden pilings at the former state-owned terminal building.
July 23, 2021 Property South Carolina

Tropical Storm Elsa is Making Landfall on North Florida’s Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Elsa is making landfall along northern Florida’s Gulf Coast, in Taylor County, the National Hurricane Center said.
July 7, 2021 Property Florida Georgia South Carolina

Tropical Storm Danny Forms, 4th Named Storm of Atlantic Hurricane Season

Tropical Storm Danny formed Monday afternoon off South Carolina’s coast, and forecasters said the storm is expected to race inland over the U.S. Southeast while dumping several inches of rain in some spots.
June 28, 2021 Property Georgia South Carolina

Patients Could Get ER Bills as Insurer Moves to Deny Claims it Deems Non-Emergent

Insurance giant UnitedHealthcare is cracking down on unnecessary emergency room visits with a new policy starting July 1 that the American Hospital Association says will jeopardize patients’ health and threaten them with financial penalties.
June 10, 2021 Life & Health Alabama Arizona Arkansas Colorado Connecticut

Toyota’s Fuel Pump Recall Now Covers Nearly 6M Vehicles Worldwide

Toyota expanded a worldwide fuel pump recall to a total of 5.84 million vehicles for a defect that could cause the part to fail. In the United States, the total number of vehicles involved in this safety recall is now approximately 3.34 million vehicles.
October 30, 2020 Auto Subrogation Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California

Hurricane Sally: Significant Flood Damage But Moderate P/C Losses, Moody’s Says

On 16 September, Hurricane Sally made landfall on Wednesday near Mobile Bay, Ala., and the western portion of the Florida Panhandle as a Category 2 storm with destructive winds of 105 mph, causing significant rain and storm surge.
September 22, 2020 Auto Property Alabama Florida Georgia North Carolina South Carolina

Sally Moving Slowly Northeast, Creating Flood Threats Inland After Causing Havoc On Coast

The remnants of Hurricane Sally are dropping torrential rain on southeastern states — and its center was still in Alabama early Thursday, more than 24 hours after making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm has brought rainfall that is being measured in feet, not inches, in many places.
September 17, 2020 Property Alabama Florida Georgia South Carolina

City Of Charleston Sues 24 Oil And Pipeline Firms Over Chronic Flooding

The city of Charleston, South Carolina filed a lawsuit against two dozen of the largest pipeline and oil conglomerates, saying the firms are responsible for making the floods that often hit the port city more frequent and more damaging.
September 11, 2020 Excess & Surplus Lines Liability Litigation South Carolina

Peach Recall Expanding Over Possible Salmonella Contamination After 78 Sickened In 12 States

A peach recall has expanded to include loose peaches and peach products after 78 people were sickened in 12 states by salmonella poisoning linked to the fruit, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
August 28, 2020 Excess & Surplus Lines Alabama Alaska Arizona California Colorado

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