Jury Awards $14M to Smoker’s Daughter

Philip Morris Jury Woman Sued Philip Morris for Fraud and Product Liability; Mother a Longtime Smoker Died of Lung Cancer..

by Associated Press

Published: Tue, August 25, 2009 - 9:30 am CST

(AP) A jury has decided that cigarette maker Philip Morris USA should pay $13.8 million in punitive damages to the daughter of a longtime smoker who died of lung cancer.

The Los Angeles Superior Court jury returned the verdict Monday, more than eight years after the smoker, Betty Bullock, sued the company for fraud and product liability. The panel voted 9-to-3 in favor of Bullock's daughter Jodie Bullock, who is now the plaintiff in the case.

Betty Bullock died of lung cancer in February 2003. She had sued Philip Morris in April 2001, accusing the company of fraud and product liability. A jury in 2002 recommended Philip Morris pay a record $28 billion in punitive damages to Bullock, but a judge later reduced the award to $28 million.

In 2008, the 2nd U.S. District Court of Appeal reversed the jury's decision and remanded the case for a new trial over the punitive damages. Philip Morris said the $28 million remained excessive.

However, the original jury ordered the tobacco company to pay Bullock $750,000 in damages and $100,000 for pain and suffering, a verdict that still stands.

Betty Bullock, 64, of Newport Beach, started smoking Marlboros when she was 17 and later turned to Benson & Hedges, both Philip Morris products.

Attorneys for Philip Morris argued Betty Bullock could have stopped smoking at anytime and the harmful effects of cigarettes were known to smokers.

Philip Morris is a unit of Richmond, Virginia-based Altria Group Inc.

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uamags Says:

Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 3:31 pm

I don’t understand these lawsuits. I saw a commericial for a company saying that if you’ve used the birth control yaz and have suffered from a list of things please call, you may entitled to money but yet I take yaz and first of all, my doctor told me about the side effects that could happen and it’s in the pamphlet thing that comes in the box AND it is in the commercials, so you can’t sue in my opinion. I guess thats the new thing though, suing because you are stupid and can’t comprehend something.

really-doe Says:

Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 3:22 pm

yet another frivolous lawsuit. This woman CHOSE to light up those cigarettes. Now the daughter will be rich for doing absolutely nothing. Hey sue somebody… Its the new American way. makes me sick

Great1 Says:

Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 9:59 am

Doesn’t it say right on the pack that cigarettes will kill you? Now the price of cigarettes will go up to cover the cost of the lawsuits and the smokers will be crying about that.

Mom2AngelBaby Says:

Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 9:53 am

So does this mean I can sue since my granddad died from emphesima in 200 I can sue because he smoked KOOL! I dont understand this at all…In the case it would see that everyone who has smoked and passed on would have family members sueing. WE all know the consequiences of Cigarettes/alchol or any other type of addiction.