R.J. Reynolds Trial Team Wins Engle-Progeny Case Based on Statute of Limitations

After a nearly three-week jury trial, a K&S team led by Ursula Henninger and James Cone obtained a victory on behalf of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in the Ortiz case in Miami-Dade County, Florida.  The stakes of the trial were made clear very early, when Plaintiff’s counsel requested $7 million in compensatory damages for each survivor—$21 million total—during opening statements.  On October 11, the jury returned a full defense verdict in favor of R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris USA, finding Plaintiff’s claims for her husband’s COPD and death barred by the applicable statute of limitations.   The case was tried by Ursula Henninger and James Cone, with the significant assistance of Val Leppert, Patrick Price and Ryan Kearney.