Hurdle cleared for tobacco suit; with class action OK, plaintiffs' lawyers promise massive effort, cooperation

Article Abstract:

A disparate group of lawyers has banded together for what may be the biggest lawsuit ever, a class action against 16 tobacco companies and on behalf of addicted smokers. Led by Wendell Gauthier, 59 law firms have formed the Castano Tobacco Plaintiffs' Legal Committee, assembled a legal team and initiated a huge discovery of relevant documents. Managing those documents and the lawyers' own egos will be the great challenge for the plaintiffs. If the case succeeds it will probably break the tobacco makers' power, while if it fails, it will probably have no successor.

Planning, Class actions (Civil procedure), Class action lawsuits

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Litigants talk tobacco; immunity among issues that could hinder settlement

Article Abstract:

Losses in suits have spurred the tobacco industry to put aside its tactics of conceding nothing and of fighting all suits and to start settlement negotiations. Initial proposals were payments of $300 bil from cigarette companies for smoking-related illnesses. These payments would be stretched over the next 25 years. About two-thirds would be to states to reimburse Medicaid care and the rest would be individual reimbursement for smoking-related illnesses. In return, the industry would receive near-complete immunity from smokers' current and future suits.

Personal injuries

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A Texas turnaround; fear of disclosures and sky-high verdicts may be prompting Big Tobacco's rush to settle

Article Abstract:

Texas was the sixth of 41 states that sued the tobacco companies for reimbursement of money spend treating smoking-related illnesses and that state also charged the industry with unfair, deceptive trade practices and racketeering. Initially, tobacco lawyers were eager to fight the Texas industry case. Independent legal experts feel Texas' turnaround from its inital posture never to settle the suit was caused mainly by the tobacco industry's fear of negative disclosures. It was not a good time to risk these with the national settlement before Congress.

Finance, Texas, Medicaid

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