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West Palm Beach, FL—Shareholders in a clean coal company lost millions because its chief executive wrongfully refused to lift restrictions on the stock's sale, the shareholders' attorney told jurors as trial opened against the company and its former CEO Tuesday. Soffin v. Clean Coal Technologies, et al, 2010CA028706.

Scott Schlesinger delivers his closing argument at trial against R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris for smoking-related diseases Mary Lima claims her husband developed because of nicotine addiction and tobacco industry concealment of smoking's dangers. 

Update: Jurors Friday imposed a $12 million punitive verdict against R.J. Reynolds for the smoking-related disease effects they found Johnny Lima suffered as a result of Reynolds' participation in a long-standing conspiracy to hide the dangers of cigarettes. 

The punitive verdict brings the total award to $15 million in the case.  A day earlier the jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages to Lima's widow, Mary, but absolved codefendant Philip Morris of responsibility. 

Tampa, FL—A state court jury Thursday awarded $3 million in compensatory damages to a Florida smoker’s widow, and found punitives potentially warranted for the role R.J. Reynolds played in his smoking-related illness. But, it absolved the tobacco giant of his death and completely cleared Philip Morris of responsibility. Lima v. R.J. Reynolds, et al. 21015-CA-007140.

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Update 4/21/17: Parties to the suit settled their case Friday, three days before jury selection was scheduled to begin in the case. Terms of the settlement were not immediately released. 

Lawrenceville, GA—Jury selection is set to begin in Gwinnett County State Court Monday over a former frozen food worker's claim that years of exposure to an artificial butter flavoring caused his lung disease. Anderson v. Illes Food Ingredients, 10-C-15420-S4. 

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Tallahassee, FL—A Florida state appeals court last month upheld an $11 million verdict against tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds for the throat cancer that took a former smoker’s larynx.

Michael Mittelmark delivers his closing argument at trial against Tenet St. Mary's, accused of negligence that left Kwai Ling Chan-Leung following surgery for a stroke. 

West Palm Beach, FL—A $39 million medical malpractice claim against a South Florida hospital ended in mistrial Friday after jurors declared themselves deadlocked over whether operating room negligence or a catastrophic stroke left a patient in a persistent vegetative state. Chan v. Tenet St. Mary’s Medical Center, 2015CA008359.