West Palm Beach, FL—Attorneys battled Wednesday over whether the statute of limitations bars a former smoker's suit against R.J. Reynolds for the respiratory disease that renders him dependent on an oxygen tank, as trial opened in the case. Hackimer v. R.J. Reynolds, 2014-CA-010849.
Topics: Negligence, Products Liability, tobacco, Engle Progeny, Florida, Hackimer v. R.J. Reynolds
Stephanie Parker delivers her closing argument for R.J. Reynolds at trial over the lung cancer death of Rebecca Fredenhagen. Jurors Thursday cleared Reynolds of responsibility for Fredenhagen's death.
Daytona Beach, FL—Jurors Thursday needed less than an hour to reject the claims of siblings who sought up to $8 million in compensatory damages plus untold punitives from R.J. Reynolds for the lung cancer death of their mother, a former Florida health department worker. Coursey v. R.J. Reynolds, 2013-30656-CICI.
Topics: Negligence, Products Liability, tobacco, Engle Progeny, Florida, Coursey v. R.J. Reynolds
Dr. David Burns tells jurors he believes Rebecca Fredenhagen was addicted to nicotine. Fredenhagen, who smoked for decades, died of lung cancer seven years after quitting.
Daytona Beach, FL—A Florida health department employee smoked throughout each day for decades—while working, doing laundry, cooking, gardening, even crocheting. But she was also strong-willed and independent, and successfully quit smoking in her first serious attempt, according to testimony at trial against R.J. Reynolds, accused of addicting her to the cigarettes that caused her fatal cancer. Coursey v. R.J. Reynolds, 2013-30656-CICI.
Topics: Negligence, Products Liability, tobacco, Engle Progeny, Florida, Coursey v. R.J. Reynolds
Daytona Beach, FL—Trial opened Thursday against R.J. Reynolds over the death of a Florida health department worker who chain smoked for years. Coursey v. R.J. Reynolds, 2013-30656-CICI.
Topics: Negligence, Products Liability, tobacco, engle, Florida, Coursey v. R.J. Reynolds
Plaintiffs' attorneys firing the first courtroom salvos in sweeping litigation over popular products face a high hurdle to success: convincing jurors a product they may have used all of their lives can cause potentially catastrophic harm. That's the hurdle The Smith Law Firm's Allen Smith overcame in landing a $55 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson for the ovarian cancer Smith says J&J's signature-brand baby powder caused his client, Gloria Ristesund.
Topics: Negligence, Products Liability, Ristesund v. Johnson & Johnson, Missouri, Talc
