Tobacco Litigation for Florida Residents

Across the State of Florida, there are approximately 8,000 individual lawsuits pending against the major tobacco companies as a result of a ruling made in July of 2006 by the Florida Supreme Court in the case of Engle v. Liggett Group, Inc.  The Court ruled that Florida residents who sustained injuries after May of 1990 and before November 21, 1996, caused by cigarette smoking had until January 10, 2008, to file individual lawsuits against the tobacco companies.  The Florida Supreme Court’s ruling means that certain liability issues cannot be disputed or denied by Big Tobacco for individual lawsuits filed before January 10, 2008.

Significant findings contained in the July 6, 2006, Florida Supreme Court opinion include the following:

(1.) Cigarette smoking causes:

• aortic aneurysm
• bladder cancer
• cerebrovascular disease
• cervical cancer
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• esophageal cancer
• kidney cancer
• laryngeal cancer
• lung cancer (specifically adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma
• oral cavity/tongue cancer
• pancreatic cancer
• pregnancy complications
• peripheral vascular disease
• pharyngeal cancer
• stomach cancer

(2.) Nicotine in cigarettes is addictive.

(3.) Tobacco companies placed cigarettes on the market that were defective and unreasonably dangerous.

(4.) Tobacco companies failed to disclose material facts concerning the health effects or addictive nature of smoking cigarettes.

If you or a family member qualify as an Engle class member (a smoker who was a Florida resident and suffered from an illness caused by cigarette smoking prior to November 21, 1996), the deadline to file an individual lawsuit against the tobacco companies passed on January 10, 2008.  

Engle Trust Fund

Florida smokers, former smokers, and survivors of smokers were also able to apply for a share of the approximate $600 million Engle Trust Fund if you or your loved one was diagnosed or died from any of the tobacco-related medical conditions listed above and the disease was first diagnosed or first manifested itself on or before November 21, 1996. Qualifying Engle class members were required to file registration documents with the Engle Trust Fund on or before June 16, 2008 and then submit required medical documents on or before August 1, 2008.  The Engle Trust Fund program concluded in June of 2009.  The total distribution for each of the 42,553 approved claims was $13,016.39 per smoker.

The law firm of Alley, Clark & Greiwe currently has hundreds of tobacco lawsuits pending throughout the State of Florida.  A number of our clients' cases are already set for trial throughout 2009 and 2010.  Please contact the law firm of Alley, Clark & Greiwe immediately for more information about the tobacco litigation.

Tobacco Resources:

• Click here to visit the official website for the Engle Trust Fund
• Click here to view April 2008 Engle class notification from Miami-Dade Clerk of Court
• Click here to view February 2008 Engle class notification from Miami-Dade Clerk of Court
• Click here to view R.J. Reynolds Public Document Repository
• Click here to view Government Health Care Cost Recovery Cases
• Click here to view Tobacco Trial Cases 1999-2008
• Click here to view Types of Tobacco Cases

• Click here to view Current Regulatory Oversight

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