How to run Settlement Allocator in DocketMath for South Carolina

Step-by-step

This guide walks you through running Settlement Allocator in DocketMath for South Carolina (US-SC) using jurisdiction-aware rules. The goal is to show the workflow and how outputs change when you set the jurisdiction to South Carolina—without giving legal advice.

Not legal advice: This is a practical walkthrough of the tool. If you need guidance on how any rule applies to a specific situation, consider consulting a qualified professional.

1) Open the right tool and set South Carolina

1. Go to the primary calculator: /tools/settlement-allocator.
2. In the jurisdiction selector, choose South Carolina (US-SC).

Why this matters: DocketMath applies jurisdiction-aware rules—including the applicable default statute of limitations (SOL) period—so the timeline inputs you provide are interpreted consistently for US-SC.

Note on SOL basis (important): For South Carolina, the general/default SOL period used here is 3 years under GS 15-1. No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for this workflow, so the tool uses the general period as the default.

2) Confirm the SOL basis the allocator will use

Before you start entering numbers, find the SOL rule summary inside the tool UI (it’s often shown near the jurisdiction selection or within a settings/rule summary panel).

For South Carolina, the workflow is based on:

• General SOL Period: 3 years
• General Statute: GS 15-1

Source: GS 15-1 (South Carolina) — https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_15/GS_15-1.html

3) Enter the core settlement inputs

Settlement Allocator generally asks for settlement-related amounts and one or more date inputs. Exact labels may vary by layout, but the concepts typically remain the same. Look for fields such as:

• Settlement amount (total) (if the tool uses a total-based approach)
• Date(s) relevant to the claim timeline
  Commonly: an incident date, a filing date, and/or other start/end dates used for SOL calculation (depending on how the tool models the timeline).
• Any allocation drivers the tool offers
  For example, it may ask for categories, components, or other weighting inputs.

Practical tip: Use the exact dates from your case file and keep an eye on which date fields the tool says are used for SOL timing. Small date differences can change whether a period is treated as inside vs. outside the SOL window.

4) Review how the jurisdiction rule affects the output

After you submit inputs, review the sections that describe the SOL logic, such as:

• The computed SOL window (based on 3 years)
• Whether your chosen date range is treated as within or outside the SOL period
• How that timing affects allocation results (e.g., the tool may reduce or constrain components tied to periods outside the SOL window)

Because the rule here is the general/default one, the allocator’s timeline gating is driven by GS 15-1’s 3-year general period. If your dates place parts of the scenario outside that window, the allocation typically reflects the impact—even if the settlement figure you entered stays the same.

5) Inspect the allocation breakdown (and totals)

Once allocation runs, check the output carefully:

• Component-level allocation amounts (what the tool assigns to each component/category)
• Percentages (if displayed)
• A final total that should reconcile with the settlement amount you entered—or explain any deltas if the tool models deductions/adjustments

Sanity-check ideas:

• If one component dominates unexpectedly, re-check:

  • The relevant date inputs
  • The order/relationship of the dates
  • Any category weights or allocation drivers you selected
• If results look “heavily constrained,” confirm the tool treated the timeline as outside SOL for the portion you expected to be covered.

6) Export or copy results for your workflow

If DocketMath offers any export or copy options (CSV, PDF, or table copy), use them to keep a record of:

• The selected jurisdiction (US-SC)
• The SOL rule applied (3 years under GS 15-1)
• The inputs you entered
• The resulting allocation output

This makes it easier to compare runs when you adjust assumptions or dates.

Common pitfalls

Small input mismatches can create outsized changes in settlement allocation outputs. Here are the issues most likely to matter for South Carolina (US-SC) in DocketMath:

• If you leave the tool on a different state, DocketMath may apply a different SOL period, which can materially change the allocation results.

• For this workflow, no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found, so DocketMath uses the general/default 3-year SOL under GS 15-1.

• If your scenario involves a specialized SOL you believe applies, reflect that in how you model inputs—but note the tool’s default behavior is general here.

• Entering the incident date where the tool expects a filing date (or vice versa) can shift the computed SOL window and flip “within SOL” vs. “outside SOL.”

• If the UI accepts only one format, entering dates inconsistently (for example, mixing month/day/year with day/month/year) can miscalculate elapsed time.

• Always compare:

  • the sum of allocation components, and
  • the tool’s displayed settlement total.

• If they don’t reconcile, re-check inputs that control deductions, constraints, or weights.

Pitfall to watch: Because the South Carolina allocator default relies on GS 15-1’s general 3-year period, results may look unexpectedly constrained when dates are near the cutoff—even if the settlement amount you entered does not change.

Try it

Here’s a quick way to validate the workflow before you commit to final numbers.

1. Open /tools/settlement-allocator.
2. Choose South Carolina (US-SC).
3. Enter a date range where you expect the scenario to be inside a 3-year window (for example, where the SOL-relevant dates are less than 3 years apart).
4. Run the allocator and confirm the UI indicates the scenario is treated as within SOL under the 3-year general rule (GS 15-1).
5. Now adjust one date so the elapsed time is just over 3 years, then re-run.
6. Compare outputs side-by-side:

   • Look for any “SOL window” or “within/outside” indicators.
   • Watch how allocation amounts and percentages change.

If results don’t change after crossing the 3-year threshold, double-check that:

• You edited the date field actually used for SOL calculation, and
• The tool is definitely applying the South Carolina jurisdiction rule (not a different selection).

Related reading

• Settlement Allocator Guide for Alabama
• Settlement Allocator Guide for Arizona
• Settlement Allocator Guide for Colorado