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South Carolina · Coal ash, exposure and possible

Coal ash, exposure and possible claims in South Carolina

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Filing deadline3 years PI (SC Code § 15-3-530), 3 years propertyCode § 15-3-530

Deadlines vary with the facts of each case. A lawyer can confirm yours.

Updated

01 · Your filing deadline

What is the deadline in South Carolina?

South Carolina Code § 15-3-530 provides a 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including those arising from toxic environmental exposure. Property damage claims carry a 3-year limitations period under SC Code § 15-3-530(5). The discovery rule applies — the limitations period begins when the plaintiff knew or should have known of the injury and its causal connection to coal ash contamination. A lawyer can confirm yours.

3 years PI (SC Code § 15-3-530), 3 years property

Source: Code § 15-3-530

Deadlines vary; a lawyer can confirm yours. An older diagnosis or a past filing window does not, by itself, establish whether you have a claim.

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A lawyer can check which filing rules apply to your circumstances.

02 · Where cases are heard

Where would my case be heard?

South Carolina hosts multiple coal ash impoundment sites operated by SCE&G (now Dominion Energy) and Santee Cooper, including the VC Summer, Wateree, and Williams stations. Groundwater contamination has been confirmed at several sites, with arsenic and heavy metals detected in monitoring wells and nearby residential water supplies. The state's proximity to North Carolina's coal ash crisis has heightened regulatory scrutiny and community awareness.

South Carolina state court claims proceed in the Court of Common Pleas. Key venues include Richland County (Columbia — SCE&G/Dominion headquarters and Wateree station), Lexington County, and Georgetown County (Winyah station). South Carolina applies a modified comparative negligence standard — plaintiff recovery is reduced by their percentage of fault and barred if over 50%. The state does not cap compensatory damages in environmental tort cases. South Carolina courts follow the Daubert standard for expert testimony. Dominion Energy's acquisition of SCE&G in 2019 consolidated liability for legacy coal ash sites under a well-capitalized defendant.

How this works nationally

For the overall process and updates, read the Coal ash, exposure and possible overview. This page covers the local information available for South Carolina.

What happens when I check?

You answer a few short questions about what happened. If you send them, your answers are kept on file. If a participating law firm takes these cases, it may contact you. People's Justice is not a law firm.

Live in South Carolina? Read what applies in your state.

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Sources

  1. Code § 15-3-530