South Carolina Lawyer Blog

A recall announced Thursday in the U.S. and Canada affects more than 30 million propylene gas cylinders used for welding, soldering, brazing and cutting.

The gas cylinders, carrying the product names Map Pro, Propylene and MAPP Gas Cylinders, are manufactured by Worthington Cylinders Wisconsin, LLC, of Chilton, Wisc.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says the seal on the cylinders can leak after torches or other fuel-consuming equipment are disconnected from them, posing a fire hazard.
They are sold alone or in torch kits at various plumbing/HVAC distributors, Home Depot, Lowes and Ace Hardware stores nationwide and in Canada for about $7 to $13 for cylinders, and $45 to $75 for the torch kits.

From October 2004 through last month, 29,026,000 affected cylinders were sold in the U.S.; 1,371,100 units sold in Canada.

The faulty gas cylinders have been sold under many labels:

• ACE


• ASCO


• BENCHMARK®


• BERNZOMATIC®


• CRAFTSMAN®


• EMC


• EXPRESS


• Firepower®


• GENTEC®


• GOSS®


• HOTERY


• Jones Stephens Corp


• LENOX®


• Mag-Torch®


• MAGNA®Mastercraft® and TURNER®


• Master Mechanic®


• MAPP


• NAPA BERNZOMATIC®


• PREST-O-LITE®


• RONA


• ROTHENBERGER


• SUPER-EGO


• SureFire™


• TurboTorch®


• UNIWELD®


• WORTHINGTON MAPP® GAS


• WORTHINGTON MAP/Pro™


• WORTHINGTON PROPYLENE

Unused cylinders never connected to a torch or other device should be returned to the point of purchase for a refund or exchange.

A partially used cylinder connected to a torch should be taken to a safe place where the torch can be lit and the remaining gas can burn off. The empty container should be disposed of properly or returned to the point of purchase for a refund or exchange.

If you have a partially used cylinder not connected to a torch, the CPSC says to test the top for leaks with soapy water and, if there is a leak, to attach a torch and burn the gas off in a safe place. Dispose of the empty container properly or return it to the point of purchase for a refund or exchange. If testing does not identify a leak, return the cylinder to where it was purchased for exchange or a full refund.

South Carolina Defective Product Attorneys

If you or someone you care about has been injured by a defective or unsafe product, you have the right to ask the manufacturer for money to cover your medical bills, property damage, pain and suffering and any permanent disability or loss.

In order to protect that right, you should speak with the experienced product injuries attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm as soon as possible. We have more than 50 years of experience helping injured South Carolinians seek justice, and we’re committed to ensuring that you get the legal representation you need. For a free consultation, call us today at (866) 454-1200 or (803) 454-1200, or fill out our confidential online case evaluation form.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is asking people in Columbia to be cautious and avoid wild animals after two separate reports of attacks by foxes in southeast Columbia. Officials suspect that rabies may be involved.

DHEC’s Sue Ferguson says nearly 400 South Carolinians have to undergo treatment for rabies every year. In 2011, there were 107 confirmed cases of rabies in the state.

While wild animals are the most common carriers of the disease, house pets also catch rabies. State law requires pets to be vaccinated regularly against rabies. Law also requires all vaccinated pets to wear tags with the most current vaccination information.

Owners should make sure their pets’ vaccinations are up to date. Owners who don’t take the proper precautions risk the health of a beloved pet as well as the health of their neighbors, friends and family.

If a pet is exposed to rabies or suspected of being rabid, owners must take additional steps to ensure the disease is contained. Owners can be held personally responsible under state law for failing to take proper steps and for any harm a rabid pet might cause. Quarantine, revaccination or other procedures may be needed if a house pet is exposed to rabies.

All animals acting suspiciously should be reported to the DHEC.

If you are bitten by an animal, experts recommend immediately washing the area with lots of soap and water. You should seek immediate medical attention and report the incident to the DHEC.

For help with your South Carolina accident or injury claim, contact the Louthian Law Firm today. Call us toll free at (866) 454-1200 or locally at (803) 454-1200. You can also contact our South Carolina personal injury lawyers online for a free evaluation of your case.

Traffic accidents are the number one killer of teens in South Carolina. In an effort to reach teen drivers, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety and Subway restaurants have partnered for a new safety campaign. The campaign, W8 2 TXT, encourages teens to text after they are done driving.

“We care deeply about the community. The distracted driving issue hit home for us when a tragic texting collision impacted our Subway restaurant family in 2010,” said Ali Saifi, president and chief executive officer of Subway Development Corporation of South Carolina Inc. “We want everyone to understand the dangers of distracted driving and realize there isn’t a call, text or status update that can’t wait.”

In 2011, 165 drivers between 15 to 24 years old died in traffic accidents. No statistics currently exist for the number of young people who were distracted or texting during their fatal collisions. However, the SC Department of Public Safety points to a Virginia Tech study that found that texting drivers were 23 times more likely to crash.

The W8 2 TXT campaign included five kick-off events across different state high schools during the week of January 30th. Highway Patrol officers gave presentations to students and had them voluntarily sign a pledge to not text while driving. The pledge is also available online at http://www.w82txtpledge.com/locations.php. Subway has promised that the high school with the highest number of pledge signers will receive Subway subs for the whole school. Participating locations include Charleston, Columbia, Florence-Myrtle Beach, and Greenville in addition to two locations in North Carolina and one in Georgia.

Subway has also provided free elastic bracelets printed with "W8 2 TXT" as reminders of their pledge.

Col. Michael R. Oliver, commander of the SC Highway Patrol said in a press release, “The dangers of distracted driving are made worse when coupled with young, inexperienced drivers. We hope every time teens look at that bracelet on their arm, they will be reminded of the deadly consequences of texting and driving.”

The Louthian Law Firm, P.A., South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers, has been helping car accident victims obtain fair compensation for their injuries since 1959. We provide each of our clients with individual attention.

If you believe you or someone you care about was hurt by a car, truck or motorcycle accident in South Carolina, contact the Louthian Law Firm today. Call us toll free at (866) 454-1200 or locally at (803) 454-1200. You can also contact our South Carolina personal injury lawyers online for a free evaluation of your case.

In a grim start to the new year, the number of fatal highway accidents in South Carolina has increased. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety reported a 49% increase in fatal traffic deaths in January 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Sixty-one people died in highway accidents in January 2012 compared to 41 in 2011.

Lance Cpl. Sonny Collins with SC Highway Patrol had no explanation for the increase in deaths. He said the numbers shouldn't be alarming, suggesting that January 2011's numbers were unusually low and any increase is to be expected. In a response to the increase in deaths to 7 On Your Side, his colleague, Lance Cpl. Bill Rhyne said, "It would really be taking a shot in the dark to say why there are so many people being involved in these collisions at this point in time." Of the 61 SC road fatalities in 2012, 14 people were pedestrians or cyclists.

Of the 47 that died in vehicles, 27 or about 57% of people were not wearing seat belts. Nearly half (47%) of all fatal traffic accident victims in motor vehicles were not wearing seat belts in 2011, according to state government statistics.

According to AAA Carolinas, traffic safety is a major public health issue for South Carolina and the top killer of teens in the state.

The Louthian Law Firm, P.A., South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers, has been helping car accident victims obtain fair compensation for their injuries since 1959. We provide each of our clients with individual attention.

If you believe you or someone you care about was hurt by a car, truck or motorcycle accident in South Carolina, contact the Louthian Law Firm today. Call us toll free at (866) 454-1200 or locally at (803) 454-1200. You can also contact our South Carolina personal injury lawyers online for a free evaluation of your case.

Columbia personal injury attorney Herb Louthian, a partner at Louthian Law Firm, P.A., believes the cost for South Carolina taxpayers to fight the new Voter ID requirement will exceed $1 million. As a board member of Common Cause, Louthian explains that with a high-cost, Washington, DC, attorney being used by the state, as opposed to using existing legal staff on hand for the state’s legal matters, the cost could become excessive.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed the voter ID bill into law in May requiring voters to show photo identification to cast ballots in person. Critics see the law as an attempt to keep the poor, who often do not have a state-issued id, from voting.

Under the federal Voting Rights Act, no state can impose a "voting qualification or prerequisite to voting” that could be deemed discriminatory. As a result, the South Carolina attorney general’s office must argue before a three-judge panel in U.S. District Court in Washington that the law is meant to prevent fraud and is not an attempt to unfairly restrict residents from voting. Attorney General Wilson decided to bring in an out-of-state attorney. The attorney’s rate is $520-an-hour.

While Louthian is opposed to the more restrictive voter ID bill signed by Governor Haley, he doesn’t question the state’s right to litigate the issue. He does, however, question the need for an expensive DC attorney when the S.C. Attorney General’s office already employs 66 lawyers.

In a Post and Courier article, Louthian asked, "Are we saying nobody on that staff is capable of handling this? Obviously there are plenty of people who can handle it who are already being paid. How can we justify this?"

Others agree that the cost is too high, and that if the state is going to spend that kind of money on voting issues, the money could be better used to update the voting machines.

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest. One of their primary causes is in protecting the American public’s right to vote.

About The Louthian Law Firm

The Louthian Law Firm, P.A., of Columbia, S.C., has been obtaining fair compensation for personal injury victims since 1959. The firm was founded by Herbert Louthian, who has more than 50 years of trial experience and is licensed to practice in all courts in South Carolina. In addition to whistleblower claims, the Louthian Law Firm handles personal injury cases involving medical malpractice; car, truck and motorcycle accidents; and other serious and catastrophic injuries throughout South Carolina. For a free, confidential case evaluation, contact the firm by phone at (866) 410-5656 or through its online contact form.

South Carolina, ranked sixth in the nation in infant mortality, has announced a new effort to reduce infant mortality by ensuring the health of mothers on Medicaid. Physicians, hospitals and state agencies will help mothers seek treatment for substance abuse, depression and domestic violence.

The program, entitled Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), provides reimbursement and a questionnaire for use with each pregnant Medicaid patient. Domestic violence victims and survivors were targeted because they have a higher murder rate and rate of drug and alcohol abuse. South Carolina is ranked 7th in the nation for domestic violence.

South Carolina suffers from historically high infant mortality rates in part due to high poverty levels. According to America's Health Rankings, SC is 45th in children in poverty at 25.7%. Only 66.5% of mothers receive early prenatal care. Lack of adequate early prenatal care can contribute to premature births and increase death rates.

Though infant death rates in South Carolina have improved over the past eleven years, South Carolina still faces a significant challenge in providing complete and adequate care for expecting mothers. Low income non-white mothers, especially, face challenges in accessing adequate care. Given the budget and health care accessibility challenges in South Carolina, the success of SBIRT is yet to be determined. The program begins in March 2012.

About The Louthian Law Firm
The Louthian Law Firm, P.A., of Columbia, S.C., has been obtaining fair compensation for personal injury victims since 1959. The firm was founded by Herbert Louthian, who has more than 50 years of trial experience and is licensed to practice in all courts in South Carolina. In addition to whistleblower claims, the Louthian Law Firm handles personal injury cases involving medical malpractice; car, truck and motorcycle accidents; and other serious and catastrophic injuries throughout South Carolina.

For a free, confidential case evaluation, contact the firm by phone at (866) 410-5656 or through its online form.

South Carolina was the second most deadly state in 2011 for pedestrians and cyclists according to a new government-funded report by the Alliance for Biking and Walking. While South Carolina has one of the lowest numbers of bicyclists and pedestrians (ranked 44 of 50 states), pedestrian and cyclist deaths account for a disproportionate 11.9 percent of all traffic fatalities in the state.

The full report, published bi-annually since 2003, examines each state's publicly reported traffic fatality rates. It also examines key indicators that promote a culture of pedestrian and bicyclist safety. South Carolina is also among the bottom third in the country in safety policy and 46th in safety funding. SC, paradoxically, is also among the top third in the per capita number of pedestrian/bike safety advocacy organizations.

Seniors are the most vulnerable population. According to the most recent data available, 2007-2009, those 65 and over account for a higher share of pedestrian and cyclist deaths nationally than any other age group. Seniors make up 19% of all pedestrian fatalities and 10% of bicyclist fatalities.

The only state to score lower than South Carolina in pedestrian and cyclist deaths was Florida. The top five states in pedestrian/cyclist safety were Vermont, Nebraska, Alaska, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

About The Louthian Law Firm
The Louthian Law Firm, P.A., of Columbia, S.C., has been representing personal injury victims since 1959. The firm was founded by Herbert Louthian, who is licensed to practice in all courts in South Carolina. In addition to whistleblower claims, the Louthian Law Firm handles personal injury cases involving medical malpractice; car, truck and motorcycle accidents; and other serious and catastrophic injuries throughout South Carolina. For a free, confidential case evaluation, contact the firm by phone at (866) 410-5656 or through its online contact form.