Walker v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

An appeals court upheld judgments in favor of two smokers who sued R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) for injuries caused by smoking. The court found that RJR had not been deprived of its right to due process when two juries awarded money damages to the survivors of two smokers. The appeals court found that RJR had a full and fair opportunity to be heard in an earlier class action lawsuit against major tobacco companies (Engle v. Liggett Group, Inc.) and that it was permissible to apply the findings from this class-action regarding tobacco companies’ liability in later lawsuits. Therefore, the court ruled that individuals in later lawsuits need only prove causation and damages specific to their case. They do not have to retry the issue of whether tobacco companies are liable on issues such as misrepresenting the health effects of smoking and producing a defective product.

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Walker v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacc Co., 734 F.3d 1278 (11th Cir. 2013).

  • United States
  • Oct 31, 2013
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Parties

Plaintiff

  • Alvin Walker, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Albert Walker
  • George Duke, III, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Sarah Duke

Defendant R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, individually and as successor by merger to the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation and the American Tobacco Company

Legislation Cited

Full Faith and Credit Act, 28 USC section 1738

Related Documents

Type of Litigation

Tobacco Control Topics

Substantive Issues

Type of Tobacco Product

None