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Jacksonville, FL—A Florida woman’s nearly half-century cigarette addiction was so powerful, she was unable to quit smoking despite 15 years of progressively worsening lung disease, the woman’s attorney said as trial opened Wednesday against R.J. Reynolds. Rozar v. R.J. Reynolds, 2017-CA-004311.

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Lawrenceville, GA—A mistrial Friday in a suit against Ford by the family of a Georgia couple killed in a truck rollover was the result of defense tactics the family’s attorney said had been employed throughout the trial.  Hill. V. Ford Motor Co. 16-C-04179.-S2. 

An image from the computer animation that defense accident reconstruction expert Geoffrey Germane used to explain his theory that Melvin and Voncile Hills' Ford truck rolled over more than twice in their fatal wreck.

Lawrenceville, GA—An accident reconstruction expert testified that a catastrophic tire blowout sent a Ford truck violently out of control and led to a multiple-revolution rollover that killed a Georgia couple, as Ford mounted its defense Tuesday over claims the company was responsible for the fatal wreck. Hill v. Ford Motor Co., 16-C-04179-S2.

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Atlanta—The Georgia Supreme Court last month upheld a $40 million award against Chrysler for the death of a toddler in a Jeep fuel tank explosion, and in doing so outlined key elements in the state’s five-year-old Evidence Code.

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Tampa, FL--R.J. Reynolds was cleared of liability Wednesday for the death of a Florida woman when jurors rejected a claimed link between the company's cigarettes and her respiratory disease.  Gay v. R.J. Reynolds, 07-CA-014649.