$28 Million Judgment

Clore Law · September 1 2011

A federal judge has upheld a $28 million judgment against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. in the case of a Connecticut smoker who developed larynx cancer. The Day of New London reported today that U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill recently denied R.J. Reynolds' motion for a new trial in the case of Barbara Izzarelli, 51, of Norwich. Izzarelli developed cancer at age 36 after having smoked Salem Kings cigarettes for 25 years. She survived, but doctors had to remove her larynx. Izzarelli won $12 million against the company last year in the first such jury award in New England. The company was also ordered to pay nearly $16 million in interest dating back to when the lawsuit began in 1999. R.J. Reynolds' lawyers argued that Salem Kings were not unreasonably dangerous. View Original Article