US court awards smoker's widow $20 million

Press Trust of India
The Hindustan Times
Sunday, January 11, 2004

New York, January 11 - The widow of a long-time smoker
who died from lung cancer was awarded a $20 million
settlement at the conclusion of her trial here against
the tobacco industry.

Gladys Frankson's husband, Harry, died of cancer in 1999
at the age of 57, after smoking Lucky Strike cigarettes
for nearly 40 years.

A jury here ordered Brown and Williamson, the third-
largest US tobacco maker, to pay Frankson $8 million,
according to Friday's ruling. Two tobacco-selling firms,
which have since been dissolved, were ordered to pay $12
million.

It marks the first time such a ruling has been made in
New York, and in the northeastern United States.

Courts in the western US states of California and Oregon
have handed down similar rulings in the past, though with
much heftier awards, including $28 billion against Philip
Morris in California in 2002, 150 million against the
same firm in Oregon in 2002, and 51.5 million against
Philip Morris in California in 1999.

Since 1996, 13 smokers or family members of smokers have
won suits against tobacco companies in the United States.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_529028,00050001.htm

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