In the biggest liability award ever against the industry, a jury today ordered Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. to pay nearly US$1 million to the family of a man who died from lung cancer after smoking the company's Lucky Strike brand for almost 50 years. The jury awarded $500,000 in compensatory damages and $450,000 in punitive damages to the family of Roland Maddox. Another $52,249 was awarded to Blue Cross and Blue Shield as repayment for Maddox's medical expenses.
Huge Blow to Tobacco
In the biggest liability award ever against the industry, a jury today ordered Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. to pay nearly US$1 million to the family of a man who died from lung cancer after smoking the company's Lucky Strike brand for almost 50 years. The jury awarded $500,000 in compensatory damages and $450,000 in punitive damages to the family of Roland Maddox. Another $52,249 was awarded to Blue Cross and Blue Shield as repayment for Maddox's medical expenses.
