Free Initial Consultation

(Main Office)

Foster Law Firm was founded by Paul J. Foster, Jr. (1928-1999) in the 1950s. Today, the firm is managed by its partners, Robert P. Foster and Robert E. Hoskins, both of whom have practiced their entire careers with the firm. The firm prides itself on devotion to its clients and their causes and constantly strives to make client satisfaction and ethical and effective representation their highest priorities. Foster Law Firm has attained Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards.

The firm has extensive experience in and focuses its practice upon: Employee Benefits, ERISA, Insurance, Health Insurance, Disability Insurance, Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Retirement and Pension Plans, Insurance Bad Faith.

Also Fire Litigation, including cases against makers of Flammable Upholstered Furniture and Mattresses causing injury and death; Products Liability, Workers' Compensation, On the Job Injuries, Personal Injury, Auto Accidents and Wrongful Death.

The firm's award-winning website demonstrates its dedication to client satisfaction as a priority. The website provides an abundance of information about the firm and its lawyers including extended biographies regarding their qualifications and experience. The website even allows clients and prospective clients to log into a "client only" secure area to access relevant forms relating to representation by the firm. The firm's website was recently recognized as the best law firm website of any medium sized firm in the State of South Carolina by the publication, Lawyers Weekly SC. In order to view the website and learn more about our firm, click the link above.

Statement of Practice

Civil Litigation, Employee Benefits, ERISA, Insurance, Health Insurance, Disability Insurance, Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Retirement and Pension Plans, Insurance Bad Faith, Fire Litigation, Flammable Upholstered Furniture and Mattresses, Products Liability, Auto Accidents, Workers' Compensation, On the Job Injuries, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death, Employment Law, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Pensions, Benefits and Compensation, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Pregnancy Discrimination, Health and Health Care Law, Disability, Employment and Labor Law, Administrative Law, Government Law.

Reference:

Palmetto Bank.

Rate Information

Free Initial Consultation

Address

601 East McBee Avenue, Suite 104 P.O. Box 2123
Greenville, SC 29602, (Greenville Co.)

Phone

Phone: 864-242-6200
Fax: 864-233-0290
http://www.scburnlawyer.com

Website

http://www.fosterfoster.com

Firm/Affiliate Offices

North Charleston, South Carolina Office: 3875 Faber Place Drive, Suite 204, 29405. Telephone: 843-744-3033. Fax: 843-579-0434.

MEMBERS OF FIRM

Robert P. Foster (Member) born Greenville, South Carolina, 1957; admitted to bar, 1983, South Carolina; 1985, U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina; 1996, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Education: University of Tennessee (B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 1979); University of South Carolina (J.D., 1983). Mr. Foster has been trying personal injury litigation and workers compensation cases since beginning the practice of law. During the last 15 years, he has been litigating product liability and flammability cases related to fires and burn injuries, filing lawsuits against the makers of flammable upholstered furniture, hardwood plywood paneling used as an interior finish, flammable clothing, acrylic bathtubs and mattresses, mobile homes and other products. He has co-authored an article about flammable upholstered furniture litigation, "Is There a Time Bomb in the Sofa?", Trial Magazine, ATLA, November 2005; He has also appeared on the CBS "Early Show", Extra and the NBC affiliate TV station in Atlanta Ga., to discuss legal issues and proposed legislation relating to flammability of upholstered furniture. His firm's website above, as well as his website scburnlawyer.com, has description of the firms experience in fire related and other litigation, including videos of the TV interviews and full scale fire testing of products in litigation, including upholstered furniture. Mr. Foster stays abreast of proposed regulation in these areas, and submitted written comment to the CPSC in May, 2008, regarding his views of the CPSC's proposed flammability standard of Feb., 2008. Member: American Bar Association, Greenville County Bar Association; South Carolina Bar (Member: House of Delegates, 1990-1996; Practice and Procedure Committee, 1991-1996); Member Pi Tau Sigma, Member, American Association for Justice since 1995, (Product Liability Section); Selected for Inclusion, Best Lawyers of America (tm) , 2009, Member, 1997— and Chairman, 2004—, Thirteenth Circuit Resolution of Fee Disputes Board. Member, National Fire Protection Association since 2002. Member, Phoenix Burn Society, Member, Executive Board, Risk Management Committee Chairman, Blue Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America, since 2000. Reported Cases: Sizemore v. Georgia Pacific and Hardwood Plywood Veneer Association, 114 F.3d 1177 (4th Cir. 1997)(Ct. affirms grant of summary judgment to plywood trade association, in spite of association members submitting misleading testing of its members product, to code officials considering regulation of flammability of product, causing code bodies to be misinformed about the true nature of the flammability of the product); Elsie Marie Allen, As Personal Representative of the Estate of Donna L Swaim, et. al., v. Choice Hotels International, Inc., 4th Cir., Op.# 07-1409, Decided May 1, 2008 (unpublished)(summary judgment affirmed for franchisor despite exercising strict and detailed control over franchisee in fire safety and related matters, and despite not requiring franchisee to install sprinklers in hotel as condition of operation); Allen v. RG Properties LLC, Ca No. 6:04-2327, 405 F. Supp. 2nd 653 (DSC 2005)(denying summary judgment to franchisee, in RG's failure to security rear door to hotel leading to entry of arsonist who started a fire causing 6 deaths and 12 injuries); Becker v. Estes Express Lines, Inc. C.A. No. 8:07-716-HMH (DSC 2008)(SC law of negligent entrustment not limited to use by intoxicated driver only, in death case resulting from truck accident caused by truck driver with history of seizures, which was known by his employer); Hicks v. Piedmont Cold Storage, 324 S.C. 628, 479 S.E. 831 (SC App. 1996)(Employee who died when car fell off tines of company forklift, while repairing plant managers car at managers request off company time, but at plant with company tools, held compensable under workers compensation laws); (reversed by SC Supreme Ct. at 335 S.C. 46, 515 S.E. 2nd 532, 1999 - activity did not benefit the corporate employer, in spite of fact that plant manager could spend more time for company on job by having employee repair car on Saturday); American Security v Howard, 315 S.C. 47, 431 S.E.2nd 604 (SC App. 1993)(lack of meaningful offer of UIM coverage; coverage rolled on and stacked for each vehicle with UIM coverage, but in amounts limited to the limits of owned vehicle involved in accident); Gunning v. State Farm, 340 S.C. 526, 532 S.E.2nd 16 (SC App. 2000)(insured could not stack UIM from vehicles not involved in the accident, in amount greater than that on accident vehicle - no UIM on motorcycle in accident, so no recovery, despite argument that rules of stacking did not apply to first "back home" vehicle ,since there was nothing to stack onto); Samson v. Carolina Georgia Blood Center, 297 S.C. 409, 377 S.E.2nd 311 (SC 1989)(provision of blood deemed a service, not a sale for purpose of product liability in S.C., barring a product claim for AIDS related transfusion)(Also, blood shield statute held constitutional upon equal protection grounds, barring implied warranty claim against blood center, 295 S.C. 359, 368 S.E.2nd 665(SC 1988); Cousar v. New London, 306 S.C. 37, 410 S.E.2nd 243 SC 1991 (product liability claim against bag flattening machine maker which severely injured employee when the rollers pulled both arms, and pulled plaintiff up to his neck cutting off oxygen. Right of action by maker against component part maker for contribution did not accrue until machine maker paid or settled the claim. Motion to add third party denied); American Mutual Fire Ins. v. Aetna Ins., 303 S.C. 301, 400 S.E.2nd 147 SC 1991)(auto servicing exclusion of liability policy held invalid as against statute defining permissive users covered by insurer); Timms v. Mary Green National HealthCorp., 310 S.C. 469, 427 S.E.2nd 642 (SC 1993)(resident whose head burned under hairdryer at defendant's facility not bound by arbitration clause of residency contract, as contract did not comply with notice provision in SC statute); Collins Music v. Lord, 289 S.C. 458, 346 S.E.2nd 724, (SC 1986)(evidence to correct deficiency in service affidavit of Complaint allowed, in action to quash an order to appear for supplemental proceedings); Motts v. Mohasco Upholstered Furniture Company, 97-CP-42-1461 (Common Pleas, Spartanburg County SC)(burn victim, burned over 85% of his body and lost his wife, in fire accelerated by an upholstered sofa made with polyurethane foam); Wistafke v. La-Z-Boy, England, Inc., CV-02-H-1729-NE (2002, Ala.)(Three children died, mother of children injured seriously, in fire accelerated by mattress and upholstered sleeper sofa group made of highly flammable polyurethane foam); Turner v. Futuristic and Oakwood Homes, 04 CVS 1714, Superior Court of Onslow County, N.C., (6 children killed, and 4 injured seriously in mobile home fire fueled by flammable upholstered sofa); Guthry v. Berkline Corp., 04-CV-653, Circuit Ct, Greene County Tn.(2 children killed in house fire starting in a Berkline sofa with massage/heat unit); Holmes v. Better Bath and Clayton homes, 04:02-2165-12, DSC Florence Division (2 persons seriously injured by fire starting in highly flammable plastic bathtub from candle); Carmichael v. Style-line Furniture Inc., DC Al., CV-01-BU-538-M (4 children killed when electrical fire accelerated by polyurethane foam filled Stye-Line sofa). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Wrongful Death Litigation; Flammable Upholstered Furniture/Mattress; Flammable Fabrics; Products Liability; Automobile Accidents; Brain Injury; Workers Compensation; Home Fires Causing Burn Injury or Death.Email: Robert P. Foster

Robert E. Hoskins (Partner) born Wyandotte, Michigan, March 17, 1965; admitted to bar, 1990, South Carolina and U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina; 1991, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit; 1994, U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, and U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 1996, U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Claims Court. Education: University of South Carolina (B.A., 1987; J.D., 1989). Rob Hoskins has handled ERISA claims for as long as he has been practicing law. He has handled thousands of ERISA and insurance cases of about every type imaginable and at every level including the United States Supreme Court. He regularly handles ERISA and insurance claims involving long term disability, health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and pension/retirement matters. He has handled a number of notable ERISA cases in jurisdictions throughout the United States and has also lectured extensively on ERISA as discussed at his web site. Member: Greenville County and American Bar Associations; South Carolina Bar. Reported Cases: LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc., et. al., - U.S. -, 128 S. Ct. 1020, 169 L.Ed.2d 847 (2008); Evans v. Eaton Corporation Long Term Disability Plan, 514 F.3d 315 (4th Cir. 2008); Wilson v. Phoenix Specialty Manufacturing Co., 513 F.3d 378 (4th Cir. 2008); Donovan v. Eaton Corporation Long Term Disability Plan, 462 F.3d 321 (4th Cir. 2006); Colucci v. Agfa Corporation Severance Pay Plan, 431 F.3d 170 (4th Cir. 2005, cert. denied 2006); Gayle v. United Parcel Service, Incorporated; Flexible Benefits Plan-United Parcel Service Long Term Disability Plan, 401 F.3d 222 (4th Cir. 2005); Bynum v. CIGNA HealthCare of NC, Inc., 287 F.3d 305 (4th Cir. 2002); Holder v. Woodmen of the World, 248 F.3d 1134 (4th Cir. 2001); Lown v. Continental Casualty Company, 238 F.3d 543 (4th Cir. 2001); Tester v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, 228 F.3d 372 (4th Cir. 2000); Cothran v. Reliance Standard Life Ins. Co., 1999 U.S. App. LEXIS 31588 (4th Cir. 1999); Rogers v. Department of Health & Environmental Control, 174 F.3d 431 (4th Cir. 1999); Lewis v. Trustmark Ins. Co., 1999 U.S. App. LEXIS 15746 (4th Cir. 1999); Graef v. Retirement Income Plan for Employees of Albemarle Corp., 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 31582, 22 E.B.C. 2280 (4th Cir. 1998); Roberts v. National Health Corp., 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 446, 21 E.B.C. 2918 (4th Cir. 1998); Austell v. Raymond James & Associates, 120 F.3d 32 (4th Cir. 1997); Bailey v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Virginia, 67 F.3d 53 (4th Cir. 1995); Wilson v. Office of Civilian Health & Med. Programs of the Uniformed Servs., 65 F.3d 361 (4th Cir. 1995); Wheeler v. Dynamic Engineering, Inc., 62 F.3d 634 (4th Cir. 1995); Hendricks v. Central Reserve Life Ins. Co., 39 F.3d 507 (4th Cir. 1994); Hayes v. Quiros, 947 F.2d 941, 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 25408 (4th Cir. 1991); Killian v. Healthsource Provident Administrators, Inc., 152 F.3d 514 (6th Cir. 1998); Physicians Multispecialty Group v. Horton Homes, 371 F.3d 1291 (11th Cir. 2004); Mire v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, 43 F.3d 567 (11th Cir. 1994); Bauman v. MILA National Health Benefit Plan, 2004 W.L. 2453951 (D.S.C. 2004); Mattive v. Healthsource of Savannah, Inc., 893 F. Supp. 1559 (S.D. Ga. 1995); Response Oncology, Inc. v. The Metrahealth Ins. Co., 978 F. Supp. 1052 (S.D. Fla. 1997); Wheeler v. Dynamic Engineering, Inc., 850 F. Supp. 459 (E.D. Va. 1994); 62 F.3d 634 (4th Cir. 1995); Mashburn v. Mail Handlers Ben. Plan, 18 E.B.C. 2668 (M.D. Tenn. 1994); Hawkins v. Mail Handlers Ben. Plan & Civilian Health & Med Programs of the Uniformed Servs., 18 E.B.C. 2571 (W.D.N.C. 1994); Response Technologies, Inc. v. BCBS of Missouri, 941 S.W.2d 771 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997); Spinx Oil Co. v. Federated Mut. Ins. Co., 310 S.C. 477, 427 S.E.2d 649 (1993). Practice Areas: Employee Benefits; ERISA; Health Insurance; Disability Insurance; Life Insurance; Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance; Retirement Benefit Plans; Pension Plans; Insurance; Insurance Bad Faith.Email: Robert E. Hoskins

Nancy Bloodgood (Partner) born Nyack, New York, August 21, 1953; admitted to bar, 1983, Pennsylvania; 1985, District of Columbia; 1986, South Carolina. Education: Georgetown University (A.B., 1975); Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (J.D., 1983). Nancy graduated from Georgetown University in 1975 and received her Juris Doctor in 1983 from Catholic University School of Law. She was an Associate Editor of the Law Review. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar, the Washington, D.C. Bar, and the South Carolina Bar. Prior to joining the firm in 2009, Nancy was a partner with a large defense firm in Charleston. Nancy also previously served as a Deputy County Attorney for Charleston County. She was also a staff attorney for the South Carolina Coastal Council, and from 1986-1989 she was in private practice. Nancy is a certified mediator and arbitrator. Nancy currently is National Delegate of the South Carolina Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and Deputy Chair of the Federal Bar Association's Employment and Labor Law Section. She has served as President of the South Carolina Association of County Attorneys and in 1992 and 1993 she received the National Association of Counties Achievement Award. She is a member of the American Bar Association, South Carolina Bar, South Carolina Women Lawyers, the Charleston County Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association and focuses her practice on Employment and Labor Law and ERISA. Nancy was recognized as one of the top Employment and Labor Law attorneys in South Carolina in the 2008 and 2009 publications of Super Lawyers. Bar Fellow: National Delegate of the South Carolina Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (Deputy Chair, Federal Bar Association's Employment and Labor Law Section). Member: American and Federal Bar Associations; South Carolina Bar Pennsylvania Bar; Washington, D.C. Reported Cases: Thomas Francis O'Brien, Jr. v. South Carolina ORBIT, 668 S.E.2d 396 (S.C. 2008); Tina Thomas v. Reliance Standard Life Ins. Co., 487 F.Supp.2d 697 (D.S.C. 2007); Peter V. Tetrev v. Pride International, Inc., et. al., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39728 (D.S.C. 2007); Steve Dawkins, et. al. v. The Owens Corning Hourly Employees' Retirement Plan, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 73409 (D.S.C. 2007); Connelly Management, Inc., et. al. v. Euan David McNicoll, et. al., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97580 (D.S.C. 2006); Lorraine Watkins v. Disabilities Board of Charleston County, 444 F.Supp.2d 510 (D.S.C. 2006); Medical University of South Carolina v. Dr. Philippe Arnaud, 602 S.E.2d 747 (S.C. 2004); Sam B. McQueen v. South Carolina Coastal Council, 580 S.E.2d 116 (S.C. 2003); Earline C. Sabb v. South Carolina State University, 567 S.E.2d 231 (S.C. 2002); County of Charleston v. Sleepy Hollow Youth, Inc., 530 S.E.2d 636 (Ct. App. S.C. 2000); Hospitality Association of South Carolina, Inc., et. al. v. The County of Charleston, et. al., 464 S.E.2d 113 (S.C. 1995); David H. Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council, 424 S.E.2d 484 (S.C. 1992); Concord Street Neighborhood Association v. George E. Campsen, Jr., 424 S.E.2d 538 (Ct. App. 1992); F.B.R. Investors, et. al. v. County of Charleston, 402 S.E.2d 189 (Ct. App. S.C. 1991); John V. Esposito v. The South Carolina Coastal Council, 939 F.2d 165 (4th Cir. 1991); Allison Brown v. County of Charleston, 399 S.E.2d 784 (Ct. App. S.C. 1990). Practice Areas: Labor and Employment; Employee Benefits; Title VII Discrimination; Government; Administrative Law; Wrongful Termination; Age Discrimination in Employment; Americans with Disabilities Act; Disability Discrimination; Employee Rights; Employee Privacy; Employment Breach of Contract; Employment Contracts; Employment Disability Discrimination; Employment Discrimination; Employment Law; Equal Employment Opportunity Law; Fair Labor Standards; Family and Medical Leave Act; Harassment; Personnel Policies; Sexual Harassment; Unfair Labor Practices.Email: Nancy Bloodgood