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West Palm Beach, FL—A diving gear company prevailed Friday against claims it was responsible for the drowning death of a renowned underwater cinematographer.  Skiles v. Lamartek Inc., et al., 2012-CA-013132. 

Michael Trentalange delivers his closing argument at trial against R.J. Reynolds over the lung cancer death of Jane McCabe. Jurors Thursday awarded McCabe's children $5 million in compensatory damages and found Reynolds liable for potential punitives. 

Update 5/20/16: Jurors imposed a $6.5 million punitive award against R.J. Reynolds for its part in the death of Dorothy McCabe, a former nurse and addiction counselor who smoked for more than 50 years.

The verdict, when combined with the $5 million in compensatories the jury handed down Thursday, brings the unreduced damage award to $11.5 million in the case. 

The original story follows below. 

Tampa, FL—A jury Thursday awarded $5 million to the children of a former addiction treatment counselor who died from cancer after smoking for more than five decades, and it found R.J. Reynolds liable for potential punitive damages for its role in her death. McCabe v. R.J. Reynolds, 2007-CA-017632.

James Scarbrough delivers his closing argument on behalf of MARTA at trial over the death of Jeffrey Usher, who died after his motorcycle struck a MARTA paratransit vehicle. 

Atlanta—A Fulton County Superior Court jury Wednesday cleared the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority of fault in the death of a motorcyclist who collided with a MARTA paratransit vehicle. Lynn v. MARTA, 2015CV259595.

Brent Bigger delivers his closing argument in the punitive phase of proceedings against R.J. Reynolds. Jurors awarded $18 million including $12 million in punitives, to Marlene Nally for Reynolds' role in the death of her husband, Joseph, a smoker for more than 50 years. 

Lakeland, FL—Jurors this week found R.J. Reynolds liable for $18 million for the role the company played in the lung cancer death of a Korean War veteran who smoked for more than half a century. Nally v. R.J. Reynolds, 2007-CA-007627.

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Atlanta—Jury selection is set to begin Monday at trial over MARTA’s alleged role in the death of an Atlanta-area motorcyclist. Lynn v. MARTA, 2015CV259595.