{"data":{"id":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-62-5-516","jurisdiction":"us-sc","citation":"S.C. Code Ann. § 62-5-516","heading":"Civil liability.","body":"(a) If a person wilfully conceals, cancels, defaces, obliterates, or damages a health care power of attorney without the principal's consent, or falsifies or forges a revocation of a health care power of attorney, or otherwise prevents the implementation of the principal's wishes as stated in a health care power of attorney, that person breaches a duty owed to the principal and is responsible for payment of any expenses or other damages incurred as a result of the wrongful act.\n(b) A physician or health care facility electing for any reason not to follow an agent's instruction that life-sustaining procedures be withheld or withdrawn as authorized in the health care power of attorney shall make a reasonable effort to locate a physician or health care facility that will follow the instruction and has a duty to transfer the patient to that physician or facility. If a nurse or other employee of a health care provider or nursing care provider gives notice that the employee does not wish to participate in the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures as directed by an agent, a reasonable effort shall be made by the physician and the health care provider or nursing care provider to effect the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures without the participation of the employee.","path":["Title 62 - SOUTH CAROLINA PROBATE CODE","ARTICLE 5 Protection of Persons Under Disability and Their Property","Part 5 Health Care Powers of Attorney"],"source_url":"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t62c005.php","current_through":"2025 Session of the General Assembly","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-02T08:08:44Z","sha256":"61948cf2fd9bf13785c4446eedde57b2df9c87d90e08c5bf797839a06c68f2e0","source_id":"us-sc","stale":false,"prev":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-62-5-515","next":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-62-5-517"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}