Fort Lauderdale, FL—Jurors Monday found the nation’s two largest tobacco companies liable for $4 million in compensatory damages, as well as potential punitives, for the role they concluded the companies played in the cancer and emphysema of a former nurse who smoked for more than three decades. Howles v. R.J. Reynolds, 2007-CV-034919.

R.J. Reynolds executive Charles Garner testifies during the punitive phase of trial over the lung cancer death of Franklin Johnston. Jurors imposed a $14 million punitive award against Reynolds on Thursday, bringing the total award to $21.5 million. 

Sarasota, FL—R.J. Reynolds faces a $21.5 million total damage award for the part it played in the lung cancer death of a Florida Army veteran, after jurors hit the tobacco company with $14 million in punitive damages Thursday. Johnston v. R.J. Reynolds, 2014-CA-004023.2014-CA-004023. 

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Decatur, GA—Trial is scheduled to begin Monday against an Atlanta-area anesthesiologist accused of negligence that led to the death of a woman after her knee replacement. Smith v. Introna, 11A36980.

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West Palm Beach, FL—Jurors Wednesday cleared a South Florida psychiatrist of responsibility for the brain damage a cardiologist says he suffered as the result of electroshock treatments the psychiatrist delivered without proper consent. Dadi v. Sharma, 2011CA16027.

Jay Sadd delivers his closing argument on behalf of Patricia Smith, who claims Logisticare's failure to properly supervise a contracted paratransit transportation service led to the loss of her arm and the use of her leg. 

Atlanta—Jurors Friday awarded $5M to a Georgia woman who lost her left arm and had her right leg rendered useless in a fall on a paratransit van. Smith v. Logisticare, 2014EV002438-J.