Florida Jury Awards Smoker’s Daughter $80 Million

A Florida jury has awarded the daughter of a deceased smoker $80 million in a lawsuit against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Dianne Webb claimed her father’s 1996 death was caused by a 60-year smoking addiction fed by company manipulation and deception. The Levy County jury award includes $8 million in compensatory damages and $72 million in punitive damages.

The case is one of about 8,000 similar lawsuits in Florida. They are being tried individually because the state Supreme Court in 2006 threw out a huge $145 billion class-action damage award for all Florida smokers.

Tobacco companies have also won cases and are appealing others they lost. R.J. Reynolds had no immediate comment on whether it will appeal the Levy County verdict.