Smoking Case Damages Reduced

When we first wrote, back in November, about the $300 million verdict that a Florida jury awarded to a 61-year-old ex-smoker who sued Philip Morris USA, we said, "Damages will probably be reduced on appeal." Sure enough, a judge has reportedly reduced the award to $39 million, calling the original jury verdict "grossly excessive." If you think the smoking verdicts are high, wait till they start going after plastics.