
As reported by Law.com (subscription), the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld an award of $6.25 million in compensatory damages and $20.7 million in punitive damages against tobacco giants R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris in favor of a now-deceased former smoker, Judith Berger. The panel found that the punitive damages award was within constitutional limits and not excessive, given various facts presented in the case, including that Phillip Morris perpetrated a 50-year conspiracy to conceal the hazards of smoking and the addictive nature of cigarettes while seeking to addict as many Americans, particularly young Americans, as possible. [Read more…]