Ryan v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co, et al.

Summary

In this Engle progeny tobacco suit, plaintiffs Thomas and Bettye Ryan claim that defendant tobacco manufacturers concealed the dangers of smoking cigarettes, fueling nicotine addiction and leading to smoking-related health problems.

Outcome

Verdict for plaintiff.
Total damages: $500,000

Apportionment of fault:
Thomas Ryan: 75%
R.J. Reynolds: 25%

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Ryan, Thomas & Bettye
Defense: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
Verdict: $500,000

Judge: Keathan Frink
Jurisdiction: 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Judicial Complex

Case Number: 2008-CV-022579
Industry: Tobacco
Practice Area: Negligence, Products Liability

Plaintiff

Ryan, Thomas & Bettye

Defense

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Represented By:
Henninger, Ursula (King & Spalding, LLP)
Boyce, Kevin (Jones Day)

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

PM Session

Openings

10 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:25:24	General Case Activities
00:41:14	Opening Statement	Alvarez, Alex
01:46:54	Break
01:57:14	General Case Activities
02:04:29	Break
02:10:14	Opening Statement	Henninger, Ursula
02:31:14	Opening Statement	Boyce, Kevin
03:20:14	General Case Activities
03:22:41	End of Session

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Drobes, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
01:13:07	Break
01:26:50	Witness Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Drobes, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
02:45:12	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Drobes, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
00:04:14	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Drobes, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
01:11:49	Break
01:26:56	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Drobes, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
03:06:19	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Drobes, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
03:28:16	General Case Activities
03:30:19	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
00:50:07	Break
01:18:59	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:08:41	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:20:27	Break
01:40:27	Witness Cross Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
03:27:25	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:15:12	Break
01:45:10	Witness Cross Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:35:32	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
00:27:34	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:16:54	General Case Activities
01:21:40	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:23:27	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:25:21	Break
01:46:00	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	Video Recording
03:10:54	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Garner, Charles	In Person
00:41:10	Witness Cross Examination	Paige, Gary	Garner, Charles	In Person
01:25:22	Break
01:41:48	Witness Cross Examination	Paige, Gary	Garner, Charles	In Person
02:53:57	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Garner, Charles	In Person
03:05:30	General Case Activities		Garner, Charles	In Person
03:12:40	General Case Activities
03:17:35	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Closings

7 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

8 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Other

2 Chapters

PM Session

Verdict

3 Chapters

OCT

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

Ryan v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co, et al.

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:35:24	Break
00:37:34	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:55:19	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:08	Break
00:05:00	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:11:55	General Case Activities
01:22:15	Break
01:28:27	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:53:05	General Case Activities
03:02:32	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:25:03	Break
00:26:49	General Case Activities
00:30:22	Break
00:31:20	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:32:28	Break
01:43:13	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:45:13	General Case Activities
02:45:48	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:05:08	Break
00:05:17	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:11:07	General Case Activities
01:20:27	Break
01:30:37	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:59:47	General Case Activities
03:02:02	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:24:05	Witness Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Ryan, Thomas	Transcript Reading
01:03:40	Witness Cross Examination	Bell, Drew	Ryan, Thomas	Transcript Reading
01:29:50	Break
01:41:52	Witness Cross Examination	Bell, Drew	Ryan, Thomas	Transcript Reading
01:57:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Paige, Gary	Ryan, Thomas	Transcript Reading
02:04:00	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Ryan, Bettye	In Person
02:17:53	Witness Cross Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Ryan, Bettye	In Person
02:23:57	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Ryan, Bettye	In Person
02:44:20	General Case Activities
02:47:07	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:29:34	Break
00:32:46	Witness Direct Examination		Heimann, Robert	Video Recording
00:43:31	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Johnston, Donald	Transcript Reading
01:02:10	Witness Direct Examination	Alvarez, Alex	Johnston, James "Jim"	Transcript Reading
01:23:26	Break
01:32:21	General Case Activities
01:38:56	Witness Direct Examination		Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
02:51:21	General Case Activities
02:55:50	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:17:40	General Case Activities	Alvarez, Alex
00:21:15	Witness Direct Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Garner, Charles	In Person
01:42:15	General Case Activities
01:48:15	Break
01:57:18	Witness Direct Examination	Henninger, Ursula	Garner, Charles	In Person
02:52:53	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:42:34	Break
00:47:44	Witness Cross Examination	Bell, Drew	Ryan, Thomas	Transcript Reading
01:14:24	General Case Activities
01:55:09	Break
02:02:34	General Case Activities
03:07:11	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:18:03	Break
00:24:40	General Case Activities
00:51:33	Closing Statement	Paige, Gary
01:10:00	General Case Activities
01:30:13	Closing Statement	Paige, Gary
02:43:51	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:07:15	Closing Statement	Boyce, Kevin
01:14:15	General Case Activities
01:18:35	Break
01:28:02	Closing Statement	Henninger, Ursula
02:01:41	Closing Statement	Alvarez, Alex
02:17:08	General Case Activities
02:32:51	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Reading of the Verdict
		00:04:54	General Case Activities
		00:07:20	End of Session