Philip Gold, left, and Brad Moores, right, deliver their opening statements at trial against West Boca Medical Center. Gold's client, Stanley Rovner, claims negligent treatment at the hospital cost him his leg. 

West Palm Beach, FL—An ER doctor’s negligent care cost a Florida man his leg, the man’s attorney said as trial opened Wednesday against the hospital that treated him. Rovner v. West Boca Medical Center, 2015CA004973.

It’s often difficult to prove liability against a company for the actions of an individual it did not directly employ. That’s the situation Slappey & Sadd’s Jay Sadd faced at trial against a medical transport company for a paratransit accident he argued left a passenger a double amputee. Sadd’s closing argument, however, established the connection the jury needed to find the company responsible for a share of the accident.  

Ray Persons delivers his opening statement for R.J. Reynolds, on trial with Philip Morris in a suit claiming the tobacco companies caused the nicotine addiction and heart disease death of John "Jack" Faricy. 

Gainesville, FL—A sweeping conspiracy to hide the dangers and addictiveness of cigarettes ultimately killed a former University of Florida marketing professor, an attorney for the professor’s widow said as trial began Wednesday against the nation’s two biggest cigarette makers. Faricy-Pardue v. R.J. Reynolds, 2014-CA-2010.

Laura Shamp delivers her opening statement at trial against Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds. Shamp's client, Abigail Dubinsky, claims tobacco industry concealment of smoking's dangers killed her husband, Paul. 

Viera, FL—Attorneys debated the role smoking and decades of alleged fraud played in the death of a Florida man as trial began Monday against two tobacco industry giants. Dubinsky v. Philip Morris, 2014-CA-026783.

Stock image. 

West Palm Beach, FL—A Florida appellate court this week threw out an $18.5 million award to the adult daughter of a long-time smoker who died from lung cancer, after finding the award against cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds was excessive.