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
As reported by Law360 (subscription), the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a $20.7 million verdict against the tobacco giant Philip Morris in favor of a now-deceased former smoker, Judith Berger. The panel found that the $20.7 million award was within constitutional limits and not excessive, given various facts presented in the case, including that Phillip
As reported by Law360 (subscription required), the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a $2.12M verdict against the tobacco company R.J. Reynolds in favor of a smoker’s widow. The three judge panel also said she was entitled to a new trial on punitive damages in her Engle progeny case, that is, a trial that
A federal appeals court has upheld a trial verdict of $41.1 million won by Lieff Cabraser against Philip Morris USA Inc. and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for their decades-long conspiracy to conceal the hazards of smoking and the lethally addictive nature of cigarettes. The jury award consists of $15.8 million in compensatory damages and punitive damages