Personal Injury Law

Jury Awards $71 Million to Marie Evans' Family

By Altman & Altman

A jury awarded $71 million Tuesday to the family of Marie Evans, a deceased smoker from Roxbury, in a legal triumph against the cigarette company Lorillard, Inc. Evans? estate was awarded $50 million in compensatory damages, and her son was awarded $21 million. A hearing on punitive damages is set for Thursday.

Plaintiffs said that Lorillard targeted black children by handing out free samples of Newports. Jurors viewed a videotaped deposition, taken weeks before Evans? death, in which she said that she started being given the samples at only 9-years-old. She said that a man, known as ?the cigarette man,? would pass out cigarettes from a white truck.

Lorillard said that Evans was responsible for her own death because she continued to smoke, even after suffering a heart attack and discovering that her father had died of lung cancer.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, African Americans have the highest tobacco-related mortality rate of any racial or ethnic group. Newport is the most popular cigarette brand among African-American young people, with 8 out of 10 young, black smokers choosing Newport, according to that website. Cigarette marketing has historically been more aggressive in low- income and minority communities.

Sources:

The Boston Globe, Mass. jury rules against Lorillard, awards $71M to dead smoker?s family

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Tobacco Company Marketing to African Americans

If you have lost a family member because of the negligent conduct of another person or entity, contact a wrongful death attorney today.

Full post as published by Boston Injury Lawyer Blog on December 14, 2010 (boomark / email).