Tobacco.org

Tobacco firms face fewer suits 

Norwood "Woody" Wilner, a lawyer in Jacksonville, Fla., doesn't see it that way. "I think the tide has turned against these guys," said Wilner, who has sparred with the companies in court numerous times.

Wilner and other lawyers in the Sunshine State recently filed thousands of lawsuits against Henrico County-based Philip Morris USA and other major cigarette companies on behalf of sick smokers and the families of deceased smokers.

The lawsuits, many of which were filed just before a Jan. 11 deadline, stem from a class-action lawsuit known as the Engle case. That case was brought on behalf of thousands of Floridians who alleged the industry deceived them about the dangers of smoking. . . .

For Philip Morris and Altria Group, the cases are simply more of the same litigation the company has fought, largely successfully, for 50 years, said William Ohlemeyer, Altria Group's vice president and associate general counsel. . . .

Anthony Sebok, a law professor at Yeshiva University who follows tobacco litigation, said the Florida cases are a serious challenge for the industry. "It is the first time the industry has faced large-scale individual litigation that might actually succeed," he said, but it's not enough to sink the industry because the number of lawsuits is not in the tens of thousands, as predicted by some industry critics.

Jump to full article »