US smoker's daughter gets $13.8m

[4me2]

US smoker's daughter gets $13.8m


The case has been in the courts for eight years

A US jury has ordered tobacco giant Philip Morris to pay $13.8m (£8.4m) to the daughter of a lifelong smoker who died of lung disease. The jury in Los Angeles decided in favour of Jodie Bullock, whose mother Betty died of lung cancer in 2003 aged 64. She had smoked for 47 years.
Philip Morris said she could have given up smoking at any time as the harmful effects of cigarettes were known.
Philip Morris is a part of Virginia-based tobacco-products group Altria.
Betty Bullock had sued Philip Morris in April 2001 on the grounds of fraud and product liability.
In 2002, a jury recommended that Philip Morris should pay $28bn in punitive damages to Mrs Bullock, but a judge later reduced the award to $28m.
In 2008, the US Court of Appeal overturned the jury's decision and sent the case for a new trial, with Philip Morris arguing that the $28m was excessive.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8219473.stm

[Zippeyrude]

only in america

[Ganty]

Does this ruling not open the floodgates for the other millions of Americans who have suffered indirectly through smoke inhilation?

[BBK]

My dad smoked, I must find out what brand he smoked and sue the manufacturers. I'm not greedy, £5 million would do me

[Thrush]

In 2002, a jury recommended that Philip Morris should pay $28bn in punitive damages to Mrs Bullock, but a judge later reduced the award to $28m.

28 billion was the original award? I guess judge school in America is a bit iffy.

[super mike]

Does this ruling not open the floodgates for the other millions of Americans who have suffered indirectly through smoke inhilation?

And surely those who have started smoking through someone else. Could it not be argued that a lot of people started to smoke because as a child they were around a loved one they looked up to that smoked?

[Simate]

$28bn!!!!!!!!!! The judge that awarded that must have been a smoker of some kind of magical stuff!