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Low tar smoker wins $25 million verdict after retrial 

Published: February 23, 2012

Tags: light cigarettes, low-tar cigarettes, Philip Morris, product liability, tobacco litigation

What a difference a jury instruction makes.

A retrial of a groundbreaking case brought by a smoker of low tar or “light” cigarettes against Philip Morris has resulted in a $25 million jury verdict.

$10.1 billion light cigarette verdict may be revived 

Published: October 6, 2011

Tags: Altria Group v. Good, consumer fraud, light cigarettes, smoking, tobacco litigation

Plaintiffs who saw a $10.1 billion light cigarette verdict go up in smoke will have the chance to revive their case in the wake of a decision last week by the Illinois Supreme Court.

‘Light’ cigarette class action can proceed 

By: Pat Murphy
Published: January 4, 2011

Tags: class action, consumer protection, light cigarettes, Marlboro Lights, Philip Morris

A consumer class action over a tobacco company’s marketing of ‘light’ cigarettes was not barred by a similar lawsuit previously brought by the state’s attorney general, the Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled in reversing a dismissal.

‘Light’ cigarette plaintiffs can’t get class status 

By: Pat Murphy
Published: December 1, 2010

Tags: class action, consumer protection, light cigarettes, RICO, tobacco litigation

Plaintiffs can’t proceed as a class on claims that tobacco company Philip Morris misrepresented light cigarettes as a healthier alternative for smokers, a U.S. District Court in Maine has ruled.

$100M award overturned in ‘low tar’ cigarette case 

By: Pat Murphy
Published: June 29, 2010

Tags: light cigarettes, low-tar cigarettes, punitive damages

A jury in a product liability case was improperly allowed to consider harm to third parties in awarding punitive damages to the husband of a “low tar” cigarette smoker who died of lung cancer, the Oregon Supreme Court has ruled.

Tobacco firm can litigate ‘light’ cigarette claims 

By: Pat Murphy
Published: March 13, 2010

Tags: light cigarettes, product liability, tobacco litigation

Prior decisions in a civil RICO suit against the tobacco industry do not preclude a tobacco company from litigating certain issues in a new lawsuit alleging that the company fraudulently marketed and advertised light cigarettes, a U.S. District Court in Maine has ruled.

Tobacco companies violated RICO 

By: Pat Murphy
Published: May 27, 2009

Tags: light cigarettes, RICO, tobacco litigation

The tobacco companies violated federal racketeering laws by deceiving the public for years about the health hazards of cigarettes, the D.C. Circuit has ruled.

‘Light’ cigarette maker can be sued for fraud 

By: Sylvia Hsieh
Published: March 17, 2009

Tags: fraud, light cigarettes, Philip Morris

The maker of “light” cigarettes can be sued for marketing fraud even though state law precludes liability for terms permitted by the Federal Trade Commission, Massachusetts’ highest court has ruled.