Tobacco companies, plaintiffs, settle for $100 million

MIAMI — A $100 million settlement has been reached between three major tobacco companies and hundreds who sued them in Florida federal court.

The tentative agreement announced Wednesday involves R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Philip Morris USA Inc. and Lorillard Tobacco Co. The deal resolves about 400 cases pending before a federal judge in Jacksonville but does not affect thousands of other lawsuits pending in Florida state courts.

The lawsuits stemmed from a 2006 Florida Supreme Court decision, known as Engle, that threw out a $145 billion class-action verdict against cigarette makers.

That decision let stand findings the companies knowingly sold dangerous products and hid smoking hazards. But the ruling also required smokers and their families to pursue individual lawsuits. The settlement Wednesday would end the federal cases.

Attorney Joe Rice, one of the chief negotiators of the settlement, said it will take about four months for a payment plan to be approved by the federal court so plaintiffs can receive their money.

How much each person gets will be determined by facts and evidence in their specific case, Rice said.

The attorney said he didn't know offhand if any of the 400 cases involved in the settlement include people from Southwest Florida.

In all, about 2,000 of what are called Engle-progeny cases, after original plaintiff Howard Engle, were filed in federal court in Florida, Rice said. He said several thousand also were filed in state courts.

Many cases were dismissed because clients died before the cases could go to trial and they left no survivors, Rice said. Other lawsuits didn't meet legal criteria and were dismissed.

- Denes Husty, special to The News-Press, contributed to this report.