Settlement Agreement Reached for Federal Engle-Progeny Tobacco Cases
February 25, 2015
MT. PLEASANT, SC – Motley Rice LLC along with co-counsel Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, and The Wilner Firm, P.A., have reached a $100 million aggregate settlement with Lorillard Tobacco Company, Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, for approximately 400 Engle-progeny tobacco cases pending in the Florida federal district court.
The settlement resolves a substantial number of personal injury and wrongful death claims of smokers allegedly damaged by tobacco products from these three companies. The included cases are a subset of the suits filed against tobacco companies following the 2006 landmark ruling of Engle v. Liggett Group Inc.
“I am gratified that we were able to reach this settlement agreement that will provide much needed relief for our clients,” stated Motley Rice co-founder and chief settlement negotiator Joe Rice. “Whenever people are suffering, we always welcome serious, fair offers that may more quickly resolve their claims and help them move on with their lives as best they can.”
The settlement agreement includes cases that have not gone to verdict, that are not on appeal, that have not previously settled, and that have not been dismissed. The merits of each case are different and each will be treated as such in determining resolution values within the settlement framework that will be supervised by the Court. The settlement does not include cases these firms are handling that are filed in the Florida state court system, which continue to proceed to trial.
About Motley Rice LLC
Motley Rice is one of the nation’s largest plaintiffs’ litigation firms. With a tradition of representing those whose rights have been violated, Motley Rice attorneys gained recognition for their pioneering asbestos lawsuits, their work with the State Attorneys General in the landmark litigation against Big Tobacco and their representation of 9/11 families in the ongoing lawsuit against terrorist financiers. The firm continues to handle complex litigation in numerous areas, including GM ignition switch and Takata airbag defects securities fraud, antitrust, consumer protection, mesothelioma, environmental contamination; prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as Lipitor®, Xarelto® and Tylenol®; medical devices; human rights; aviation disasters; and wrongful death. Motley Rice is headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and has additional offices in New York; Connecticut; Louisiana; Washington, D.C.; Rhode Island and West Virginia. For more information, contact Motley Rice co-founding member Joe Rice (DC, SC), member Frederick C. Baker (NY, SC) or member Lance Oliver (AL, DC, FL, SC) at 1.800.768.4026 or visit www.motleyrice.com. Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+and Twitter.
