Sunny to partly cloudy. High 81F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph..
Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 69F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Solar Umbrella
The husband of the Garden City Beach woman, who was impaled by a beach umbrella in Garden City in 2022, sued the umbrella manufacturer Aug. 15. File/Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
The husband of the Garden City Beach woman, who was impaled by a beach umbrella in Garden City in 2022, sued the umbrella manufacturer Aug. 15. File/Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
GARDEN CITY — A year after a Garden City woman was impaled by a beach umbrella, her widower filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturer.
Michael Perreault, representing the estate of Tammy Perreault, is suing East Coast Umbrella Inc. for designing, developing, manufacturing and selling the "spear-like" umbrella that struck and killed his wife Aug. 10, 2022, according to court records.
The umbrella had been carried along by the wind on Garden City Beach.
After she was struck, Tammy Perreault was taken to Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital, where she died of chest trauma. Her death was ruled accidental, according to the Horry County Coroner's Office. The accident garnered national media attention.
Perreault claims the umbrella lacked proper safeguards to keep it anchored in the sand, and that the company provided no warnings or signs of what could happen if the umbrella became unweighted and unanchored, according to the lawsuit filed Aug. 15.
"As a result of Defendant’s negligence, gross negligence and recklessness, Decedent Tammy Perreault suffered severe bodily injuries including her ultimate death," the lawsuit states.
East Coast Umbrella did not respond to a request for comment.
In the lawsuit, Perreault claims East Coast Umbrella created the product so that it would be used on or near the beach, but it became defective when it went airborne the day of the accident.
He also accused the manufacturer of creating an umbrella design that was "unreasonably dangerous, inadequate, unsafe, hazardous and defective," according to the lawsuit.
Regarding the design, he said the umbrella was unweighted and unanchored, lacked any proper safeguards to keep it anchored in the sand, and had a "spear-like" end, which increased the risk of danger to the public, according to the lawsuit.
He said he and his wife did not know about the umbrella's defects as they walked on the beach that day, and he said the defects ultimately led to the accident.
"Perreault has lost the aid, comfort, companionship, support and society of his wife, Tammy Perreault, and (he) has suffered extreme emotional distress, anxiety, grief, and sorrow, for which he is entitled to recover damages," according to the lawsuit.
Since the accident, Horry County officials have been hesitant about making any changes to its beach shading rules on its unincorporated beaches.
Horry County only allows umbrellas up to 7 to 9 feet in diameter from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They don't allow large tents or wind-driven shades.
On April 11, Horry officials rejected requests from popular wind-driven tent companies Shibumi and Solbello, which sell shades that flutter in the wind like flags, to exempt their products from the umbrellas-only policy. The officials had cited safety concerns for why they did not support the exemptions.
As of Aug. 17, County Council has no plans to discuss changing its beach shading policy, according to county officials.
Each year, around 3,000 Americans are hospitalized for injuries related to all types of umbrellas, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Between 2010 and 2018, about 2,800 people were treated for injuries caused by a wind-blown umbrella.
Between 2009 and 2018, over 32,000 people were injured in umbrella-related incidents in the US, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Follow Nicole Ziege on Twitter @NicoleZiege.
Last October, Conway became a Halloween town. City officials now say those efforts paid off, and they plan to go even bigger this year. Read moreNo trick: SC city changes its name to Halloween, gives boost to businesses
The proposed project has the potential to increase Conway's population by nearly one-third, and involves annexing about 1,765 acres, or roughly half the size of Aynor. Read moreConway City Council delays vote on plan to build more than 3,300 homes
Coastal Grand Mall continues to revamp itself since its opening 19 years ago with new retail, dining and entertainment options for shoppers. Read moreMyrtle Beach-area mall adds new stores; Surfside miniature golf course set to close
Conway City Councilman Autry Benton announced Sept. 15 he will no longer be seeking reelection for City Council this November, instead taking his election goals to the Statehouse next year. Read moreConway councilman drops reelection bid, announces campaign for SC Senate seat
Post and Courier Myrtle Beach 1165 N. Fraser Street, Unit 12A Georgetown, SC 29440
News tips/online questions: cperry@postandcourier.com
Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks. We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Golf Umbrella Double Canopy , Post and Courier, an Evening Post Publishing Newspaper Group. All rights reserved. | Terms of Sale