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 […]
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 Jury Snaps Tobacco’s Recent Winning Streak with an $80 Million Award Against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Contact: Edward L. Sweda, Jr. or Mark Gottlieb (617) 373-2026 or (617) 373-8462. A Bronson, Florida (Levy County) jury today awarded $8 million in compensatory damages and another $72 million in punitive damages against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for its role in the lung cancer death of James Kayce Horner. Mr. […]
National Cancer Institute Study may Affect Cigarette Litigation
Results of a study released today by the National Cancer Institute suggests that heavy smokers may be able to reduce the chances of dying from lung cancer through low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) scans. In a randomized national trial of more than 53,000 current and former heavy smokers, CT scans led to outcomes with 20% […]
PHAI’s Gottlieb discusses litigation as an approach to reduce childhood obesity at Institute of Medicine Workshop
On October 21, 2010, the Institute of Medicine’s Standing Committee on Childhood Obesity Prevention hosted a one-day workshop to examine “Legal Strategies in Childhood Obesity Prevention.” Mark Gottlieb, Executive Director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University School of Law, presented on a panel moderated by UC Berkeley law professor Stephen Sugarman entitled […]
Yet another plaintiff’s verdict in Florida: Piendle v. RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. et al.
August 5, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Edward L. Sweda or Mark Gottlieb (617) 373-8462 or (617) 373-2026 A Palm Beach, Florida jury today returned a verdict of $2.2. million against Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, on behalf of Liz Piendle, the widow of Charles Piendle, who died from lung cancer in 1996 at the […]
