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Ex smoker Cindy Naugle has been awarded $300 million of tobacco company Philip Morris money, including a whopping $244 million in punitive damages. The ruling will be watched by all tobacco companies and Philip Morris says it will fight the ruling. It is another in the line of the in the so-called Engle progeny smoker suits.

Runaway Jury - Philip Morris Tobacco Hit with $300M Judgment

In this case, the jury claimed that the woman was only 10% at fault for her smoking related illnesses. Naugle started smoking when she was 20 and quit at 45.

Lawyers and Settlements notes that "should the settlement stand on appeal, it could pave the way for thousands more similar lawsuits in Florida." The report also ads the aforementioned division of fault as "the jury in the case assigned 90 percent of the liability for her smoking and illness to Philip Morris, and 10 percent to Naugle."


Seeking Alpha has this:


Julie Pike cites company spokesman Murray Garnick who says, "We believe that the punitive damages award is grossly excessive and a clear violation of constitutional and state law." Is this a runaway jury?