Mark Avera delivers his opening statement at trial against R.J. Reynolds, accused of responsibility for the cancer death of Louis Lawrence. 

Ocala, FL—Attorneys argued over the role R.J. Reynolds may have played in the fatal cancer that struck a Florida farm owner who smoked for more than half his life, as trial opened against the tobacco company Thursday. Lawrence v. R.J. Reynolds, 2009-CA-000178.  

Randall Bassett delivers his closing argument on behalf of R.J. reynolds, accused of responsibility for the laryngeal cancer and eventual death of Ralph Shadd.

West Palm Beach, FL—Jurors this week found a Florida smoker's cancer and death were caused by R.J. Reynolds cigarettes, but shut out the smoker’s widow on her claim for damages against the tobacco company. Shadd v. R.J. Reynolds, 2008-CA-038631.

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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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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.