Steven Hammer delivers his closing argument at trial against R.J. Reynolds for the company's role in the heart and respiratory disease Blanche Fox claims her husband, Malcom, suffered after decades of smoking. 

Fort Lauderdale, FL--A Florida state court jury handed down a $6 million verdict against R.J. Reynolds for the role jurors found the tobacco giant played in the illness a decorated World War II veteran developed after smoking cigarettes for more than a half century. Fox v. R.J. Reynolds, 2008-CV-026348.

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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.  

Last year, CVN cameras captured 40 Engle progeny trials, with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake in tobacco litigation involving some of the nation’s best attorneys. The high-stakes cases are among thousands that stem from a Florida class action suit that the state’s high court ultimately decertified, allowing individual plaintiffs to rely on the original class action’s jury findings and recover damages if a plaintiff proves that the smoker at the heart of their case suffered from nicotine addiction that led to a smoking-related disease.

CVN’s Engle Plaintiff’s Attorney of 2016 distinguished himself with an undefeated record and more than $80 million in damages awarded on the year.

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West Palm Beach, FL—A Florida appellate court this week cut a pair of Engle awards against the country’s two biggest tobacco companies, after concluding the trial judge in each case erred in not reducing their compensatory damages.

In 2016, CVN covered 40 Engle progeny trials, involving some of the top defense attorneys in the country. The cases stem from a  class action against the nation’s tobacco companies that the Florida Supreme Court ultimately decertified, allowing individual plaintiffs to rely on the original class action’s jury findings and recover damages if a plaintiff proves that the smoker at the heart of their case suffered from nicotine addiction that led to a smoking-related disease.

This year’s Engle Defense Attorney honoree distinguished herself by going undefeated in two critical trials involving her client.