During opening statements, Bruce Anderson tells jurors that lack of communication between Drs. Gregory Pavlat and Benjamin Moore caused Margaret Roberts' stroke.

Jacksonville, FL—As trial began Wednesday in a suit over a stroke that left a woman with life-long brain damage, attorneys argued whether lack of communication between doctors who treated the woman for blood clots ultimately caused the stroke.  Roberts v. St. Vincent’s Medical Center, 2011-CA-007017.

Scott Schlesinger delivers closing arguments on behalf of his client, Robert Shulman, who claims the concealment of smoking's dangers by the nation's three largest tobacco companies caused his cancer, heart, and respiratory diseases. Jurors last week found in favor of the tobacco companies.  

 West Palm Beach, FL—Jurors last week cleared the nation’s three largest tobacco companies of liability for the cancer and heart and lung diseases a 95-year-old former former pilot claims stemmed from more than four decades of smoking. Shulman v. R.J. Reynolds, et al. 2007-CA-023832. 

Frank Bayuk argues Cynthia Green failed to establish the nicotine addiction or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease she needed to prove in order to recover in her suit against R.J. Reynolds. Watch closings in the case. 

Miami—Jurors Tuesday found a South Florida musician did not suffer from the respiratory disease she claimed was caused by decades of smoking, giving R.J. Reynolds the win in her $1.9 million suit against the tobacco giant. Green v. R.J. Reynolds, 2007-CA-046326.

Toxic tort cases involving dangerous exposure from decades earlier can be rife with problems linking the allegedly toxic product to your client's disease. In some cases, you'll have to ask jurors to infer connections based on limited documentary evidence and no "smoking gun" proof. James Ferraro was faced with a similar situation in a mesothelioma suit against Georgia Pacific, but, in a closing that connected the dots from wallboard to his client's cancer, won an eight-figure verdict. 

During her opening statement, Elisabeth Culmo tells jurors a faulty maintenance of traffic plan contributed to the 2013 death of executive chef Stefano Riccioletti as he walked to work. Riccioletti's estate is suing the contractors who implemented the plan, The Marks Brothers, Inc. and General Asphalt Co. Inc.