The jury in Piendle v. R.J. Reynolds found that Charlie Piendle's addiction to cigarettes was the legal cause of his death, and awarded $4M in compensatory damages to his widow, Margaret Piendle. The jury apportioned 45% fault to Mr. Piendle, and 27.5% fault each to R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris. The jury also found that punitive damages were warranted, and the trial will move to the punitive damages phase.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Tobacco Litigation, Piendle v. RJ Reynolds
Hon. Judge Charles Mitchell has declared a mistrial in the Engle-progeny tobacco trial Warrick v. R.J. Reynolds, in Jacksonville. The jury, which had the previous day requested to review the deposition testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Warrick and their daughter, was deadlocked.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Warrick v. RJ Reynolds, Tobacco Litigation
Shook Hardy Bacon's Kenneth Reilly closed for the defendant tobacco companies in Warrick v. R.J. Reynolds, webcast live by CVN.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Warrick v. RJ Reynolds, Tobacco Litigation
In his closing argument, Jones Day's Peter Biersteker reminded the jury in Piendle v. Reynolds, "It would be very easy for you to forget during Mr. Barnhart's closing that this case is about Mr. Piendle...and the choices he made, and make no mistake about it: they were choices."
Topics: Products Liability, Engle Progeny, Piendle v. RJ Reynolds
UPDATE: Because of the Appellate Division's decision in Kendall v. Roche, The Greenblatt case has been continued with no new date. However, the case is expected to come back on calendar.
UPDATE 2: The Greenblatt trial is now scheduled to begin February 14, 2011. Watch it on live CVN.
Topics: Toxic Torts, Products Liability, accutane, Greenblatt v. Roche, Pharmaceutical
