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 […]
$17.3 million verdict against Lorillard in Jacksonville, FL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Edward L. Sweda, Jr. or Mark Gottlieb (617)373-8462 or (617)373-2026 A jury awarded the family of a smoker who died of lung cancer in 1994 at the age of 63 a total of $6 million in compensatory damages. The jury assessed Lorillard Tobacco Company 65% responsibility for the death of Jacqueline […]
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 […]
PHAI’s Gottlieb supports smoke-free parks in Cambridge Chronicle Guest Commentary
On February 21, 2011, the local Cambridge newspaper, the Cambridge Chronicle, published a guest opinion piece by PHAI’s executive director supporting efforts to prohibit smoking in public parks in that city. A similar proposal is pending in Boston and New York City passed one earlier this month. Gottlieb’s commentary can be seen here. He mentions […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
PHAI’s Daynard provides extended audio commentary on Evans verdict
In an interview on WBUR Boston, an NPR affiliate, Professor Daynard explains the case and its significance. Listen to the interview here.
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 […]
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 […]
