Phillip Morris Tobacco Trial

In the latest individual tobacco case to make it to trial in Florida, a six-person jury in Ft. Lauderdale awarded a 92-year-old man $5.3 million for his wifes death from smoking. The case was the eighth Engle case to make it to trial, and the sixth victory for the plaintiffs. Shirley Barbanell died as a result of a smoking about two packs a day for more than 40 years, said her husbands attorney, Steven J. Hammer, a partner at the Schlesinger Law Firm in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The verdict which does not include punitive damages will be apportioned for fault. Jurors awarded 63.5 percent of the fault to Barbanell and 36.5 percent to Philip Morris, reducing the verdict to just under $2 million.