Lack’s Beach Service has been found liable for the 2018 drowning death of a Maryland man. An appeals court is awarding the man’s estate the largest wrongful death payout in South Carolina history.

A 3 person Court of Appeals in the state affirmed a jury decision from 2023 that granted Zerihun Wolde’s estate almost $21 million in a case against Lack’s Beach Service.

“As discussed throughout this opinion, we find there was plentiful evidence that Lack’s repeatedly and knowingly breached the standard of care for professional lifeguards in multiple ways,” the three-judge panel concluded.

While vacationing from Maryland, Wolde and his family headed to the ocean on Aug. 24, 2018.

Lack’s Beach Service and Lifeguard Responsibilities

Wolde entered the water with two of his children, Adam and Wubit, unaware of the hazardous riptide conditions that ultimately led to his tragic death, with no red flags or shore alerts cautioning them at that time.

The court of appeals determined that Wolde was unable to receive prompt assistance due to Lack’s Beach Service’s combination of renting beach equipment and offering lifeguarding services. These dual role practices were in effect when he drowned.

In July 2022, Wolde’s family was awarded $20.7 million by a 15th circuit jury: $13.7 million for actual damages and $7 million for punitive damages. This decision came after a weeklong jury trial.

Lack’s Beach Service appealed. Lack’s Beach Service is a private contractor with the City of Myrtle Beach. Their defense team argued they provided a city service.

City government payouts are limited to $300,000 in damage liabilities. Lack’s Beach Service argued the damages should be capped at that amount.

Judge Kristi F. Curtis cited the company’s practice of using dual-role lifeguards as the key contributing factor to Wolde’s drowning death.

“In this case, the harm to Mr. Wolde was physical and resulted in the loss of his life at forty-one years of age,” the order said. “The conduct of Lack’s in employing a decade-long system of ‘dual-role’ lifeguards even in the face of repeated warnings from USLA that the practice was dangerous and violated USLA safety standards supports the punitive damages award.”

Lack’s Beach Service began contracting with the City of Myrtle Beach in 1974.

George Lack, who founded the company, has since deceased. Lack’s Beach lifeguarding company is now owned and managed by his daughter, Weslyn Lack Chickering.