Philip Morris Sees $20.7M Punitive Award Reinstated (Corrected)

A Florida smoker’s estate succeeded in getting a $20.7 million punitive damages award against Philip Morris USA Inc. reinstated Nov. 26.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit agreed with the estate of Judith Berger that the trial court shouldn’t have tossed the jury’s fraud and conspiracy verdicts, which allowed for punitive damages.

The panel also retained the company’s liability for compensatory damages. The jury set a compensatory award of $6.25 million but found Berger partially at fault, resulting in a $3.75 million judgment.

Berger’s suit is one of thousands that have proceeded in Florida using liability findings ...