Ray Persons tells jurors Robert Mathis did not show symptoms of lung cancer until after the November 21, 1996 cutoff date for Engle class membership during openings of trial against R.J. Reynolds for Mathis's death. 

Miami, FL—A Florida man who died of lung cancer after smoking 2 to 3 packs of cigarettes a day for nearly 50 years developed the disease after the bar date for filing a class action claim against the nation's tobacco companies,  an attorney defending R.J. Reynolds said Friday in the trial's opening statements. Mathis v. R.J. Reynolds, 2007-CA-47118. 

Jonathan Gdanski delivers his closing argument for his client, Joseph Varner, who claims tobacco industry deception caused his wife, Virginia's, nicotine addiction and fatal cancer. Jurors awarded Varner $1.5 million Tuesday. 

Fort Lauderdale, FL—A Florida jury Tuesday found nicotine addiction and Philip Morris cigarettes caused a 40-year smoker's fatal cancer and awarded her widower $1.5 million in compensatory damages. But, it rejected any punitive payout and cleared R.J. Reynolds of liability. Varner v. R.J. Reynolds. 

Dr. Ronald Gup, a pulmonologist who diagnosed Virginia Varner with cancer and COPD, under cross-exam. 

Fort Lauderdale, FL — A pulmonologist who treated a woman who smoked up to two packs of cigarettes a day for 40 years testified he would consider such a smoker, “by definition,” addicted to nicotine, as trial over the woman's fatal cancer continued against the nation’s largest cigarette manufacturers. Varner v. R.J. Reynolds.

Scott Schlesinger tells jurors tobacco industry marketing was designed to hide the dangers of smoking and led to Virginia Varner's icotine addiction and death. Varner's husband Joseph is suing R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris, makers of the cigarettes his wife smoked. 

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Attorneys battled over whether tobacco industry deception or a smoker’s own decisions caused her fatal lung cancer, as trial opened against R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris Tuesday. Varner v. R.J. Reynolds.

Plaintiff's attorney Rick Friedman delivers his opening statement. Click here to see video from the trial. 

Seattle - A Washington state court jury heard opening statements Monday in the first trial over claims that Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Synthes Inc. used bone cement without FDA approval in the spines of patients who died on the operating table within moments of being injected with the compound.