South Carolina Property & Casualty Insurance Guaranty Ass'n v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Toal, Justice:

This appeal involves the application of offensive collateral estoppel to prevent the litigation of an issue which has been previously decided in another judicial proceeding. We find that the use of collateral estoppel was appropriate in this case and therefore affirm the trial court.

The underlying dispute in this case involves the payment of workers’ compensation benefits by the South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association (Guaranty) on behalf of the insolvent insurer for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. A recitation of the factual background is necessary for an…