Budnick v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

In this Engle progeny tobacco litigation proceeding, plaintiff Jason Budnick (personal representative of the estate of Leonard "Lenny" Budnick) alleged R J Reynolds of fraudulent concealment of dangers of smoking cigarettes manufactured by the company, which led his father Leonard Budnick, a musician to get addicted to smoking at an early age. The plaintiff also alleged the company of manufacturing defective cigarettes, which caused Mr. Budnicks death due to lung cancer in 1996 at age 52. According to the plaintiff, Mr. Budnick was addicted to cigarettes and tried repeatedly to quit. The defense claimed that Mr. Budnick enjoyed smoking and did not want to stop.

The plaintiff was represented by attorney Steven Hammer. The defendant in this case, R J Reynolds was represented by attorney Mark Seiden.

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Outcome

Verdict for defense

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Budnick, Jason
Defense: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Judge: Jeffrey Streitfeld
Jurisdiction: 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Judicial Complex

Case Number: CACE07036734
Industry: Tobacco
Practice Area: Products Liability, Tobacco, Toxic Torts, Tort Law, Negligence

Plaintiff

Budnick, Jason

Represented By:
Hammer, Steven (Hammer, Steven J, Law Offices of)

Defense

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Represented By:
Seiden, Mark (Jones Day)

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

AM Session

Openings

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:13:05	Opening Statement	Hammer, Steven
01:18:59	Break
01:39:00	Opening Statement	Boyce, Kevin
02:28:12	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

AUG

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:09	Witness Cross Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Benowitz, Dr. Neal , M.D.	Video Recording
01:24:56	Break
01:41:57	Witness Direct Examination	Hammer, Steven	Fields, Samuel	In Person
02:08:13	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Fields, Samuel	In Person
02:29:10	Witness Direct Examination	Hammer, Steven	Fields, Adele	In Person
02:45:27	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Fields, Adele	In Person
02:57:32	General Case Activities		Fields, Adele	In Person
02:59:26	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

18 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:21	Witness Direct Examination	Hammer, Steven	Dunayer, Beatrice	In Person
00:11:05	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Dunayer, Beatrice	In Person
00:19:28	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Hammer, Steven	Dunayer, Beatrice	In Person
00:25:09	General Case Activities		Dunayer, Beatrice	In Person
00:25:50	Witness Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Seely, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
01:07:39	Break
01:23:06	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Seely, Dr. Richard M.D.	Other
01:55:19	Break
01:57:10	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Seely, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
02:09:44	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Seely, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
00:00:14	General Case Activities
02:18:14	Break
02:27:45	General Case Activities		Seely, Dr. Richard M.D.	In Person
02:32:09	Witness Direct Examination	Hammer, Steven	Budnick, Jeff	Video Recording
02:53:11	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Budnick, Jeff	Video Recording
02:59:56	Break
03:05:05	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Budnick, Jeff	Video Recording
03:18:11	End of Session

AUG

AM Session

Not in Session

0 Chapters

PM Session

Not in Session

0 Chapters

AUG

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

19 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
00:05:18	Break
00:06:40	Witness Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
00:07:47	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
00:28:48	Break
00:30:42	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
00:37:47	Break
00:39:49	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
01:32:54	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
01:34:57	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
01:40:17	Break
01:57:05	General Case Activities		Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
01:59:46	Witness Direct Examination	Hammer, Steven	Lapinsky, Stephen	In Person
02:19:50	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Lapinsky, Stephen	In Person
02:30:54	Break
02:34:01	Witness Direct Examination		Vastoler, Barry	Video Recording
02:50:38	Witness Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Monheit, Barry	Video Recording
03:00:46	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Monheit, Barry	Video Recording
03:11:48	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Monheit, Barry	Video Recording

AUG

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Spodak, Michael	In Person
00:44:30	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Spodak, Michael	In Person
01:01:01	General Case Activities
01:09:39	Break
01:21:53	Witness Direct Examination	Seiden, Mark	Roberts, Dr. Randy Ph.D.	In Person
02:32:39	Break
02:47:56	Witness Direct Examination	Seiden, Mark	Roberts, Dr. Randy Ph.D.	In Person
03:08:52	Witness Cross Examination	Hammer, Steven	Roberts, Dr. Randy Ph.D.	In Person

AUG

AM Session

Closings

11 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

8 Chapters

AUG

AM Session

Verdict

2 Chapters

AUG

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

Budnick v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:27	Witness Direct Examination	Benowitz, Dr. Neal , M.D.	Video Recording
00:58:30	Break
01:14:11	Witness Direct Examination	Benowitz, Dr. Neal , M.D.	Video Recording
02:19:26	Break
02:38:42	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:39	Witness Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
00:30:56	Break
00:34:37	Witness Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
01:09:30	Break
01:29:58	Witness Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Feingold, Dr. Allan MD	In Person
02:15:57	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:49	Witness Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Lapinsky, Denise	Video Recording
00:09:42	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Lapinsky, Denise	Video Recording
00:20:49	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gdanski, Jonathan	Lapinsky, Denise	Video Recording
00:21:50	Witness Direct Examination	Hammer, Steven	Budnick, Jason	In Person
00:44:53	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Budnick, Jason	In Person
00:54:04	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Hammer, Steven	Budnick, Jason	In Person
00:57:14	Break
01:32:23	Witness Direct Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Spodak, Michael	In Person

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:29	Witness Cross Examination	Hammer, Steven	Roberts, Dr. Randy Ph.D.	In Person
00:04:12	Break
00:05:41	Witness Cross Examination	Hammer, Steven	Roberts, Dr. Randy Ph.D.	In Person
00:50:56	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seiden, Mark	Roberts, Dr. Randy Ph.D.	In Person
00:52:52	Break
01:08:17	General Case Activities
01:13:29	Break
01:31:19	Witness Direct Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Sommer, Susan	Video Recording
01:48:11	Witness Direct Examination		Cooper, Marc	Video Recording
02:05:20	Witness Direct Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Budnick, Lawrence	Video Recording

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:11	Closing Statement	Hammer, Steven
00:52:28	Break
01:07:18	Closing Statement	Boyce, Kevin
01:51:00	Closing Statement	Hammer, Steven
02:14:22	Break
02:25:04	General Case Activities
02:37:41	End of Session