Tobacco.org

Punitive damages in U.S. tobacco case under fire 

A federal appeals court heard oral arguments on Monday on whether a $15 million punitive damage award against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc. should be scaled back.

While the $15 million figures pales in comparison to other judgments, the issue is whether the amount was too great because it far outweighed the $200,000 figure awarded in compensatory judgment to David Burton, a lifelong smoker.

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