RICHMOND, Va. -- A St. Louis jury on Friday returned a verdict for Philip Morris USA and other major tobacco companies in a lawsuit where 37 Missouri hospitals sought compensation for treating sick smokers.
"After 12 years of litigation, we believe that the jury correctly rejected the entirety of the hospitals' claims," said Murray Garnick, Altria Client Services senior vice president and associate general counsel, speaking on behalf of Philip Morris USA. "The jury agreed with Philip Morris USA that ordinary cigarettes are not negligently designed or defective."
The [image-nocss] company noted that every third-party health-care cost recovery case for treating smokers has either been thrown out before trial or ultimately resulted in defense wins. In the only two health-care recovery cases against tobacco companies that went to trial prior to this case, one resulted in a jury verdict for the defense and the other resulted in limited damages that were reversed on appeal. To date, 17 state and federal appellate courts have rejected health-care recovery cost claims.
This case is City of St. Louis, et al. v. American Tobacco Co., et al.
Richmond, Va.-based Altria Group Inc. directly or indirectly owns 100% of each of PM USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. LLC, John Middleton Co., Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd. and PMCC. Altria holds a continuing economic and voting interest in SABMiller plc.
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