McCabe v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

In this tobacco litigation case, James McCabe claims defendant tobacco companies concealed the dangers and addictiveness of cigarettes, leading to the smoking-related disease of Jane McCabe.

Outcome

Phase 1 -
Fault: RJR - 30% McCabe 70%
Damages - $5,000,000.00

Phase 2 -
Punitive: $6,500,000.00

UPDATE: $11.5M Verdict Includes $6M in Punitives against RJR for Nurse's Cancer Death
May 20, 2016

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: McCabe, James
Defense: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
Verdict: $11,500,000

Judge: Rex Barbas
Jurisdiction: 13th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Edgecomb Courthouse

Case Number: 2007CA017632
Industry: Tobacco
Practice Area: Tobacco, Products Liability, Negligence

Plaintiff

McCabe, James

Represented By:
Trentalange, Michael (Trentalange & Kelley, P.A.)
Paige, Gary (Gordon & Doner PA)
Berg, Paul (Abrahamson & Uiterwyk)

Defense

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Represented By:
Belasic, Mark (Jones Day)

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

AM Session

Other

4 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		01:03:21	Break
		01:52:24	General Case Activities
		02:20:59	End of Session

PM Session

Openings

8 Chapters

MAY

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

MAY

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:36:45	Break
01:59:33	Witness Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:46:18	End of Session

MAY

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

MAY

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Belasic, Mark	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
01:35:15	Break
01:49:52	Witness Cross Examination	Belasic, Mark	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:27:55	Break
02:40:33	Witness Cross Examination	Belasic, Mark	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:03:25	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:49:40	General Case Activities		Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:52:14	General Case Activities	Paige, Gary	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:54:15	General Case Activities
03:56:10	End of Session

MAY

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

15 Chapters

MAY

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Norman, Melinda	In Person
00:02:25	Witness Cross Examination	Quinlan, Michael	Norman, Melinda	In Person
00:05:08	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Norman, Melinda	In Person
00:06:43	Witness Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Borter, Rosemary	In Person
00:54:53	Witness Cross Examination	Quinlan, Michael	Borter, Rosemary	In Person
01:09:25	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Borter, Rosemary	In Person
01:13:43	Break
01:33:08	Witness Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Beddingfield, Susan	In Person
02:20:40	Witness Cross Examination	Quinlan, Michael	Beddingfield, Susan	In Person
02:33:03	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Beddingfield, Susan	In Person
02:37:15	Witness Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Edwards, Polly	In Person
03:01:00	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Quinlan, Michael	Edwards, Polly	In Person
00:11:43	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Edwards, Polly	In Person
00:14:56	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Quinlan, Michael	Edwards, Polly	In Person
00:15:42	Witness Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	McCabe, James	In Person
01:04:10	Witness Cross Examination	Belasic, Mark	McCabe, James	In Person
01:41:48	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	McCabe, James	In Person
01:47:07	General Case Activities		McCabe, James	In Person
01:50:03	Break
02:05:12	General Case Activities
02:14:03	General Case Activities
02:15:29	General Case Activities
02:25:01	End of Session

MAY

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

10 Chapters

MAY

AM Session

Closings

7 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

7 Chapters

MAY

PM Session

Verdict

3 Chapters

AM Session

Other

3 Chapters

MAY

AM Session

Openings - Damages

9 Chapters

PM Session

Closings - Damages

12 Chapters

PM Session

Verdict - Damages

3 Chapters

MAY

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

McCabe v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:12:58	Opening Statement	Trentalange, Michael
01:44:17	Break
02:01:33	General Case Activities
02:02:28	Break
02:05:29	Opening Statement	Belasic, Mark
03:12:47	General Case Activities
03:13:20	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:58	Break
00:25:09	General Case Activities
00:33:53	Witness Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Herkov, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:55:34	Break
02:08:08	Witness Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Herkov, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
02:29:18	Witness Cross Examination	Belasic, Mark	Herkov, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
03:07:08	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:02:27	Witness Cross Examination	Belasic, Mark	Herkov, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:03:25	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Herkov, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:23:21	General Case Activities
01:27:09	Break
01:39:34	General Case Activities
01:53:22	General Case Activities		Herkov, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:58:12	Break
02:11:34	Witness Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
04:07:21	General Case Activities
04:07:55	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:11:24	Witness Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
01:25:16	General Case Activities
01:27:56	Break
01:54:21	General Case Activities
01:57:52	General Case Activities
02:00:36	Witness Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
03:07:58	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:02	General Case Activities
00:05:01	Witness Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Cummings, Dr. Kenneth "Michael" Ph.D.	In Person
02:02:23	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:19:04	Break
00:23:00	Witness Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Schiff, Dr. Ron M.D.	In Person
01:53:14	Break
02:09:01	Witness Cross Examination	Quinlan, Michael	Schiff, Dr. Ron M.D.	In Person
02:31:47	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	Schiff, Dr. Ron M.D.	In Person
02:38:31	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:31	Witness Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	McCabe, Romayne	Video Conference
01:40:09	Break
01:58:51	Witness Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Villa, Dr. Luis M.D.	In Person
02:35:41	Witness Cross Examination	Quinlan, Michael	Villa, Dr. Luis M.D.	In Person
02:45:06	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Villa, Dr. Luis M.D.	In Person
02:48:54	General Case Activities		Villa, Dr. Luis M.D.	In Person
02:51:11	General Case Activities	Trentalange, Michael	Villa, Dr. Luis M.D.	In Person
02:52:41	General Case Activities	Quinlan, Michael	Villa, Dr. Luis M.D.	In Person
02:53:41	General Case Activities		Villa, Dr. Luis M.D.	In Person
02:54:16	General Case Activities	Trentalange, Michael	Villa, Dr. Luis M.D.	In Person
02:55:30	Witness Direct Examination	Berg, Paul	McCabe, Melinda	In Person
03:27:51	Witness Cross Examination	Quinlan, Michael	McCabe, Melinda	In Person
03:43:41	General Case Activities
03:54:19	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:47	General Case Activities
00:06:40	Witness Direct Examination	Belasic, Mark	Barnett, Dr. Debra M.D.	In Person
01:37:22	Break
01:50:29	Witness Direct Examination	Belasic, Mark	Barnett, Dr. Debra M.D.	In Person
02:07:10	Witness Cross Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Barnett, Dr. Debra M.D.	In Person
02:37:26	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:56	Witness Cross Examination	Trentalange, Michael	Barnett, Dr. Debra M.D.	In Person
01:41:35	Break
01:58:01	General Case Activities	Trentalange, Michael	Barnett, Dr. Debra M.D.	In Person
02:02:51	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Belasic, Mark	Barnett, Dr. Debra M.D.	In Person
02:16:52	General Case Activities		Barnett, Dr. Debra M.D.	In Person
02:21:31	General Case Activities
02:23:17	Break
02:31:04	General Case Activities
04:12:11	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:08:00	General Case Activities
00:29:03	Closing Statement	Trentalange, Michael
01:57:44	Break
02:19:51	General Case Activities
02:27:12	Closing Statement	Belasic, Mark
03:10:08	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:59	Closing Statement	Belasic, Mark
01:34:17	Break
01:43:44	General Case Activities
01:51:12	Closing Statement	Trentalange, Michael
02:22:08	General Case Activities
02:34:15	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Reading of the Verdict
		00:06:47	General Case Activities
		00:08:37	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:05:48	General Case Activities
		00:07:08	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:08:07	General Case Activities
00:13:26	Opening Statement	Paige, Gary
00:27:12	Opening Statement	Belasic, Mark
00:42:38	Witness Direct Examination	Belasic, Mark	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	In Person
01:56:28	Break
02:10:43	Witness Direct Examination	Belasic, Mark	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	In Person
02:42:19	Witness Cross Examination	Paige, Gary	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	In Person
03:27:22	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Reading of the Verdict
		00:01:34	General Case Activities
		00:03:21	End of Session