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Punitive Damages Award Upheld by U.S. Supreme Court

Walton Law Firm

The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris to overturn a state verdict of $79.9 million awarded to the widow of a longtime smoker by an Oregon jury. Legal analysts believe the ruling may mark a shift in the court, who most consider to be decidedly “pro business” it its rulings.

The court’s ruling ended a decade-long battle for Mayola Williams, the widow of Jess Williams, a Portland Oregon janitor and smoker who died of lung cancer. In the product liability lawsuit, the family argued that Jesse, who began smoking in the 1950s, believed that cigarettes would not harm his health because of representations made by the cigarette company. A state jury agreed, awarding Mayola over $800,000 in compensatory damages, and $79.5 million in punitive damages.

Organized business interests had hoped the high court would send a strong warning to state courts about excessive punitive awards, and clarify a constitutional limit, but that was not to be the case.

The accident and injury attorneys at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals who have been injured in automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, insurance disputes, products liability cases and all other personal injury cases.

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I cannot stress enough how great my experience was at North County Injury Lawyers. On my day off from work some friends and I took our bikes for ride on Pacific St. in Oceanside, near where I live. We were...

Cory, Oceanside

Randy Walton came to my rescue during the most difficult time of my life. My parents were killed in a car collision. The driver of the vehicle that hit them was at fault. Her insurance company kept delaying and...

Cheryl, Escondido

I was in a car accident while driving in Lake San Marcos where I live. The jolt of the accident caused me to hit my head and mouth on the steering wheel, which caused injury to my teeth, as well as hearing...

Mary, Lake San Marcos

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