FEDERAL / NATIONAL LEGAL NEWS - Thousands of New Lawsuits Filed Against Tobacco Industry in Florida

January 18, 2008

In Florida, smokers and their family members have filed thousands of lawsuits against tobacco companies before the deadline imposed by the Florida Supreme Court.  When the court overturned a $145 billion award in a class-action lawsuit against the tobacco industry, it set today as the deadline for individuals to pursue their own claims.  Although the punitive damages award was overturned, the findings against the industry in the case can be used by individuals in their own cases.  “The Supreme Court found that cigarette manufacturers are negligent and that their products are defective, unreasonably dangerous, addictive and the cause of 16 separate diseases in human beings,” said Ed Sweda of the Tobacco Products Liability Project at Northeastern University Law School.

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