Judge cuts $300 million Fla. smoker’s damage award against Philip Morris to $39 million

Judge cuts $300M smoker’s lawsuit award to $39M

MIAMI — A $300 million jury verdict against Philip Morris USA in a Florida smoker’s lawsuit has been cut down to about $39 million by a judge.

Broward Circuit Judge Jeffrey Streitfeld found the damage award excessive and not supported by the evidence in the case of Cindy Naugle, who smoked for 25 years and suffers from emphysema.

Philip Morris attorneys say they will still appeal, even though the damage award was lowered.

The $300 million had been the highest damage award so far among thousands of lawsuits filed by Florida smokers against tobacco companies.

The lawsuits are being tried individually around the state because the Florida Supreme Court in 2006 threw out a huge $145 billion class-action damage award for Florida smokers.