Marianne Howanitz delivers her closing argument at trial over the deaths of Deborah and Eliezer Maldonado, Jr.

Ocala, FL—Jurors Friday awarded more than $3.9 million to the family of a Florida mother and son killed in a late-night, 2012 truck crash, but found a non-party drunk driver largely at fault, likely reducing the award. Maldonado v. Wayne T. Fellows, et al., 2013CA001308.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the punitive damage award imposed against the defendants. 

St. Petersburg, FL—Jurors awarded $5.8 million in damages to the family of a 2-pack-a-day smoker who died of lung cancer, after concluding the nation's largest tobacco companies concealed the dangers of the cigarettes they found led to her death.   Brown v. Philip Morris, et al., 15-002451-CI. 

The following is a guest post courtesy of Innovative Science Solutions.

Dr. Katharine Wenstrom says she believes improper care by Drs. Rebecca Simonsen and Stanley Angus led to the heart attack and catastrophic brain damage Shannon Trabue suffered three days after Trabue gave birth. 

Atlanta—An obstetrician who has previously appeared as a medical malpractice defense expert told jurors last week she decided to testify on behalf of a plaintiff for the first time ever because she was “horrified” at the circumstances surrounding the catastrophic brain damage a Georgia woman suffered days after giving birth, as trial continues against the medical practice that treated her. Trabue v. Atlanta Women’s Specialists, LLC, et al., 14-EV-001821.

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Miami, FL—A $5+ million claim against Philip Morris for a former smoker’s lung cancer ended in mistrial Monday, just days after openings, because a prospective juror shared information during voir dire about a prior $20 million award in a similar case. Martin v. Philip Morris, et al., 07-34267-CA.