Hunt v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

In this tobacco trial, Mary Hunt developed fatal lung cancer after she smoked cigarettes since the early 1960s. Her family sues R.J. Reynolds, claiming that the company is responsible for Hunt's death after concealing the risks of smoking for years.

Attorneys for Hunt's family argue that Reynolds' ads convinced Hunt that smoking would not lead to health issues.

R.J. Reynolds asserts that Hunt knew the risks of smoking, with family and friends warning her to quit.

Outcome

Verdict for the plaintiff.
Total damages: $4,200,000.

Blog Posts

$4.2M Verdict Against RJR Caps MA Trial Over Woman's Fatal Lung Cancer
Mar 23, 2022

Trial Begins Against R.J. Reynolds Over Massachusetts Woman's Lung Cancer Death
Mar 10, 2022

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Hunt, Robert
Defense: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
Verdict: $4,200,000

Judge: James Budreau
Jurisdiction: Superior Court of Massachusetts, Middlesex County
Court: Middlesex County Superior Court

Case Number: 18-CV-00446
Industry: Tobacco
Practice Area: Tobacco

Plaintiff

Hunt, Robert

Represented By:
Rainer, Andrew (Brody Hardoon Perkins & Kesten LLP )
Lever, Meredith (The Public Health Advocacy Institute)

Defense

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

SESSIONS

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

PM Session

Openings

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:18:31	Opening Statement	Rainer, Andrew
00:44:44	Opening Statement	Baker, Emily
01:26:56	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
00:44:42	Break
00:56:47	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:44:15	Break
02:59:30	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
03:53:46	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:13:57	Break
01:23:39	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:08:54	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
00:54:41	Break
01:17:55	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:05:30	Break
02:18:36	Witness Cross Examination	Baker, Emily	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
03:55:35	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Baker, Emily	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
00:47:45	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:39:30	Witness Direct Examination		Spears, Dr. Alexander III	Transcript Reading
02:13:14	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination		Spears, Dr. Alexander III	Transcript Reading
00:14:38	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:22:09	Break
01:40:35	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:38:07	Witness Cross Examination	Murphy, Dennis	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:51:48	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Murphy, Dennis	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
00:27:31	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
00:46:16	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Murphy, Dennis	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
00:53:47	Witness Direct Examination	Lever, Meredith	Norwood , Julie	In Person
01:40:16	Witness Cross Examination	Wallace, Kate	Norwood , Julie	In Person
01:56:16	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Lever, Meredith	Norwood , Julie	In Person
01:58:48	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination		Canavan, Joseph	Video Recording
00:52:54	Witness Direct Examination	Lever, Meredith	Prochaska, Dr. Judith	In Person
01:53:30	Break
02:14:51	Witness Direct Examination	Lever, Meredith	Prochaska, Dr. Judith	In Person
03:56:29	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Lever, Meredith	Prochaska, Dr. Judith	In Person
00:06:34	Witness Cross Examination	Baker, Emily	Prochaska, Dr. Judith	In Person
01:30:21	Break
01:43:02	Witness Cross Examination	Baker, Emily	Prochaska, Dr. Judith	In Person
01:52:14	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Lever, Meredith	Prochaska, Dr. Judith	In Person
01:54:55	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Fay, William	In Person
01:38:43	Break
02:02:51	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Fay, William	In Person
02:26:42	Witness Cross Examination	Murphy, Dennis	Fay, William	In Person
03:38:22	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Fay, William	In Person
04:00:59	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Ruckdeschel, Dr. John	In Person
01:53:36	Break
02:12:58	Witness Cross Examination	Kline, Kaitlin	Ruckdeschel, Dr. John	In Person
02:17:39	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Ruckdeschel, Dr. John	In Person
02:20:26	Witness Direct Examination		Thompson, William Jr.	Transcript Reading
03:17:12	Break
03:32:37	Witness Direct Examination		Long, Ms. Christy	Video Recording
03:51:06	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Hunt, Robert	In Person
00:39:57	Break
01:12:16	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Hunt, Robert	In Person
01:55:25	Break
02:08:29	Witness Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Hunt, Robert	In Person
02:36:24	Witness Cross Examination	Baker, Emily	Hunt, Robert	In Person
03:50:29	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Hunt, Robert	In Person
00:41:42	Break
00:53:59	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Hunt, Robert	In Person
00:57:29	Witness Direct Examination	Lever, Meredith	Hunt, Robert	In Person
01:40:35	Witness Cross Examination	Wallace, Kate	Hunt, Robert	In Person
01:51:29	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Lever, Meredith	Hunt, Robert	In Person
01:55:52	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

MAR

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Wallace, Kate	Michel, Dr. Gregg Ph.D.	In Person
01:18:26	Witness Cross Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Michel, Dr. Gregg Ph.D.	In Person
01:42:13	Break
02:04:29	Witness Cross Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Michel, Dr. Gregg Ph.D.	In Person
03:10:32	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Wallace, Kate	Michel, Dr. Gregg Ph.D.	In Person
03:25:07	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Rainer, Andrew	Michel, Dr. Gregg Ph.D.	In Person
03:27:22	Witness Direct Examination		Hunt, Robert	Video Recording
03:32:56	End of Session

MAR

AM Session

Other

2 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

3 Chapters

MAR

AM Session

Other

2 Chapters

MAR

PM Session

Verdict

2 Chapters

MAR

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in parts only. Available recordings do not represent the full proceeding.

Hunt v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

Outcome

Blog Posts

SESSIONS

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination		Leung, Kristy	Video Recording
01:58:47	Break
02:12:58	Witness Direct Examination		Leung, Kristy	Video Recording
02:30:59	General Case Activities
02:37:09	Witness Direct Examination		Spears, Dr. Alexander III	Video Recording
02:54:52	Witness Direct Examination	Wallace, Kate	Michel, Dr. Gregg Ph.D.	In Person
03:45:17	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	Closing Statement	Baker, Emily
01:00:34	Closing Statement	Rainer, Andrew
01:57:23	End of Session