litigation

Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds hit by $40 million verdict in Florida this week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Edward L. Sweda, Jr. or Mark Gottlieb 617-373-8462 or 617-373-2026 A Jacksonville, Florida jury this week assessed $34 million in punitive damages against tobacco giants Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. for their reprehensible misconduct in the case of Andy Allen v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., et al.  This award […]

Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds hit by $40 million verdict in Florida this week Read More »

Florida jury Returns multi-million verdict against tobacco companies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Contact: Edward L. Sweda (617-373-8462) or Mark Gottlieb (617-373-2026) A jury in Gainesville, Florida today assessed punitive damages in the amount of $1.5 million against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (RJR) and another $1.5 million against Philip Morris (PM) in an Engle Progeny case. The same jury on Tuesday night awarded the

Florida jury Returns multi-million verdict against tobacco companies Read More »

Eurpoean Commission Publishes PHAI Collaboration on Tobacco Liability and the Health Costs of Smoking

In December, 2009, PHAI, working under a contract to GHK along with Dr. Amandine Garde of Durham Law School (U.K.), produced a Report to the European Commission on the topic of tobacco liability and the health costs of smoking which has just been published by the Commission. It is hoped that the Report will encourage

Eurpoean Commission Publishes PHAI Collaboration on Tobacco Liability and the Health Costs of Smoking Read More »

Minnesota Court Of Appeals gives green light to “light” cigarette class action lawsuit against Philip Morris

Class is certified; consumer protection law claims are reinstated since they establish “public benefit;” claims not barred by Minnesota’s 1998 settlement with tobacco companies or by 2009 federal legislation; claims not barred by statute of limitations.

Minnesota Court Of Appeals gives green light to “light” cigarette class action lawsuit against Philip Morris Read More »

Boston jury delivers $81 million punitive damages verdict against Lorillard

A Suffolk Country jury, after finding Lorillard liable on December 14, 2010  for the wrongful death of a woman who was given free Newport cigarettes by the company as a child growing up in a Boston public housing project, today issued a punitive damages verdict of $81 million against the maker of Newports. The jury

Boston jury delivers $81 million punitive damages verdict against Lorillard Read More »

PHAI publishes Special Verdict Sheet from Evans trial

(Please note that the jury was deadlocked on Questions 5 and 6) SUFFOLK, SS. CIVIL ACTION NO. 2004-2840-A WILLIE EVANS, AS EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF MARIE R. EVANS Plaintiff v. LORILLARD TOBACCO COMPANY Defendant SPECIAL JURY VERDICT FORM SECTION 1 -LIABILITY Question 1: NEGLIGENCE (Please answer all three subparts, a through c, of Question

PHAI publishes Special Verdict Sheet from Evans trial Read More »

Lorillard suffers big loss in Massachusetts wrongful death case where free samples of Newport were provided to African-American children in Roxbury housing project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Edward L. Sweda, Jr. or Mark Gottlieb (617) 373-8462 or (617) 373-2026 A Suffolk Superior Court jury slammed Lorillard Tobacco Company today in the first tobacco trial in Massachusetts in a generation.  The case, Evans v. Lorillard, involved a wrongful death claim brought by the son of a woman who was

Lorillard suffers big loss in Massachusetts wrongful death case where free samples of Newport were provided to African-American children in Roxbury housing project Read More »

Florida court of appeal affirms $28.3 million verdict against R.J. Reynolds; explicitly rejects RJR’s attempt to “essentially nullify” Florida Supreme Court’s 2006 decision in Engle

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Edward L. Sweda, Jr. or Mark Gottlieb (617) 373-8462 or (617) 373-2026 In a resounding defeat for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., the First District Court of Appeal of Florida affirmed a jury’s award of $5 million in compensatory damages (later reduced by the trial judge to $3.3. million because the jury

Florida court of appeal affirms $28.3 million verdict against R.J. Reynolds; explicitly rejects RJR’s attempt to “essentially nullify” Florida Supreme Court’s 2006 decision in Engle Read More »