Hallgren v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

In this Engle progeny tobacco litigation proceeding, plaintiff Theodore Hallgren (personal representative of the estate of the estate of Claire Hallgren) alleged Philip Morris Tobacco Co and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco co of fraudulent concealment of dangers of smoking cigarettes manufactured by the company, which led his wife Claire Hallgren to get addicted to smoking at an early age and also alleged the companies of being liable for manufacturing defective cigarettes which caused Mrs. Hallgrens death due to lung cancer in November 26, 1995.

The plaintiff was represented by attorneys Brian Denney and T. Hardee Bass. The defense in this case comprised of Philip Morris Tobacco Co and R.J. Reynolds. Philip Morris Tobacco Co was represented by attorney William Geraghty. R.J. Reynolds was represented by attorney R. Dal Burton.

Outcome

Compensatory damages:

$2 million with 50% responsibility to plaintiff (so $1mm)

Punitive damages:

750K from RJR
750K from PM USA

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Hallgren, Theodore
Defense: Philip Morris Tobacco Co
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
Verdict: $3,500,000

Judge: J. Langford
Jurisdiction: 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Highlands County Courthouse

Case Number: 10-761
Industry: Tobacco
Practice Area: Tobacco

Plaintiff

Hallgren, Theodore

Defense

Philip Morris Tobacco Co

Represented By:
Geraghty, William "Bill" (Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP)

Defense

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Represented By:
Burton, R. Dal (Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP)

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

AM Session

Openings

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:12:24	General Case Activities
00:13:14	Opening Statement	Bass, T. Hardee
01:22:15	Break
01:35:33	Opening Statement	Geraghty, William "Bill"
02:48:17	General Case Activities
02:48:52	End of Session

PM Session

Openings

9 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

13 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

16 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

10 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

9 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

13 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Closings

8 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

13 Chapters

PM Session

Verdict

7 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es) - Damages

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es) - Damages

20 Chapters

JAN

AM Session

Closings - Damages

7 Chapters

PM Session

Verdict - Damages

5 Chapters

JAN

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:06	Opening Statement	Burton, R. Dal
00:16:34	General Case Activities
00:18:09	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:44:45	General Case Activities
01:45:13	Break
02:07:09	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:59:51	General Case Activities
03:00:51	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:42	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:23:47	Break
01:42:01	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:58:31	General Case Activities
02:58:52	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:24	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:16:26	Break
01:41:43	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:08:18	Break
02:25:36	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:35:49	General Case Activities
03:36:29	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:24	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:29:40	Break
01:46:37	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:50:38	General Case Activities
02:51:05	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:53	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
00:56:52	General Case Activities
00:57:24	General Case Activities
00:58:23	General Case Activities
00:58:43	Break
01:12:48	General Case Activities
01:13:09	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Hallgren, Sally	Transcript Reading
02:35:34	General Case Activities
02:35:47	Break
02:48:56	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Hallgren, Sally	Transcript Reading
03:31:08	General Case Activities
03:31:39	End of Session

Hallgren v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:04	Witness Cross Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:45:00	General Case Activities
01:45:16	Break
02:02:51	Witness Cross Examination	Burton, R. Dal	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:48:54	General Case Activities
02:49:25	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:02	Witness Direct Examination	Bass, T. Hardee	Hallgren, Peter	In Person
00:45:30	Witness Cross Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Hallgren, Peter	In Person
01:09:13	General Case Activities
01:09:47	Break
01:26:53	General Case Activities
01:27:50	Witness Direct Examination	Bass, T. Hardee	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
03:04:16	General Case Activities
03:04:31	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:10	Witness Direct Examination	Bass, T. Hardee	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
01:28:46	Break
01:46:09	Witness Direct Examination	Bass, T. Hardee	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
02:45:42	General Case Activities
02:46:20	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:12	Witness Cross Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
01:20:38	Break
01:43:29	Witness Cross Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
02:28:39	General Case Activities
02:29:34	Witness Cross Examination	Burton, R. Dal	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
02:47:51	General Case Activities
02:48:28	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:11	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Bass, T. Hardee	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
00:14:20	General Case Activities
00:15:09	Break
00:24:08	General Case Activities
00:24:28	General Case Activities		Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	In Person
00:26:24	General Case Activities
00:26:45	General Case Activities
00:28:15	Witness Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Hallgren, Ted	In Person
00:43:51	Witness Cross Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Hallgren, Ted	In Person
01:14:58	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Denney, Brian	Hallgren, Ted	In Person
01:16:17	General Case Activities
01:17:07	General Case Activities
01:18:34	General Case Activities
01:20:14	General Case Activities
01:21:00	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:29	General Case Activities
00:04:37	Break
00:10:21	General Case Activities
00:11:02	General Case Activities
00:11:37	Witness Direct Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Benowitz, Dr. Neal , M.D.	Video Recording
01:25:58	Break
01:43:14	Witness Direct Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Benowitz, Dr. Neal , M.D.	Video Recording
02:37:26	General Case Activities
02:38:02	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:02	General Case Activities
00:00:21	Witness Cross Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Benowitz, Dr. Neal , M.D.	In Person
01:06:49	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Benowitz, Dr. Neal , M.D.	Video Recording
01:19:59	Break
02:06:10	General Case Activities
02:06:31	Witness Direct Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Hallgren, Ted	Transcript Reading
02:19:01	General Case Activities
02:51:56	General Case Activities
02:52:39	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:33	General Case Activities
00:01:28	Witness Direct Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Rossman, Dr. Jonathan	In Person
01:27:59	Break
01:45:32	Witness Direct Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Rossman, Dr. Jonathan	In Person
02:55:04	General Case Activities
02:55:27	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:41	General Case Activities
00:19:54	Closing Statement	Denney, Brian
01:37:50	Break
01:55:53	General Case Activities
01:56:02	Closing Statement	Geraghty, William "Bill"
02:49:35	General Case Activities
02:49:59	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:00:26	Reading of the Verdict
		00:04:57	General Case Activities
		00:05:46	Break
		00:11:27	General Case Activities
		00:12:09	General Case Activities
		00:13:01	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:40	General Case Activities	Bass, T. Hardee
00:04:22	General Case Activities
00:05:05	General Case Activities
00:05:57	Witness Direct Examination	Geraghty, William "Bill"	Jupe, Richard	In Person
00:59:25	General Case Activities
00:59:47	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:00:20	Reading of the Verdict
		00:01:21	General Case Activities
		00:01:49	General Case Activities
		00:04:16	End of Session