Personal Injury Law

Wrongful Death Verdict For $13.8 Million Against Cigarette Maker

Georgia injury lawyers have not forgotten the sworn testimony the CEO?s of all of the major tobacco companies gave Congress a few years ago. Who could forget when these prominent men raised their right hands and swore that ?Nicotine is not addictive?. Apparently a jury has not forgotten their testimony. Bloomberg reported that in a wrongful death case, a California jury has ordered Altria Group, Inc., the parent company of Philip Morris USA, maker of Marlboro cigarettes to pay $13.8 million in punitive damages to the daughter of a smoker who died of lung cancer. According to the original lawsuit, the cigarette maker misrepresented the risk of smoking in its advertising. In 2002, a jury awarded $28 million to the plaintiff. That award was later reduced and eventually thrown out prior to the most recent trial. The deceased plaintiff who was 64 at the time of the original trial had smoked since she was 17. According to her lawyer, Philip Morris misrepresented the risks of smoking for 50 years.

The Georgia injury law firm of Finch McCranie, LLP have over 40 years experience pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. If you have lost a loved one and feel you have a wrongful death claim, call our experienced attorneys at 1 (800) 228-9159 for a free consultation.

Full post as published by Georgia Injury Lawyer Blog on August 29, 2009 (boomark / email).