Smoker's $48 Million Claim Fails

TOBACCO February 1993

A St. Clair, Illinois jury found a man dying from lung cancer responsible for his illness by failing to heed clear health warnings and rebuffed his efforts to seek up to $48 million in damages from tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds (AP, "Jury Denies Dying Man Damages in Tobacco Suit," Washington Post, 1/30/93, A3).

Charles Kueper, 51, a heavy smoker since his youth, sued Reynolds after contracting lung cancer, arguing through his attorney Bruce Cook that the tobacco company conspired to conceal the dangers of smoking through misleading advertising.