US smoker's daughter gets $13.8m

stevenmh
stevenmh Posts: 180
edited August 2009 in The bottom bracket
Why am I surprised?!!! I do not know why this story annoys me so much. I am not jealous it is just.... errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :lol:
A US jury has ordered tobacco giant Philip Morris to pay $13.8m (£8.4m) to the daughter of a lifelong smoker who died of lung disease.

From the BBC

Comments

  • fatandwheezing
    fatandwheezing Posts: 169
    Don't know how accurate the story is, but it says she was originally awarded $28bn, which was then reduced to $28m, now this.

    28bn would have been hilarious.
  • AndyRubio
    AndyRubio Posts: 880
    If you don't ask you don't get.
    My hour on the plinth
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    That's disgusting !!!!

    Let me guess, he started smoking before thedangers were known. Then once warnings were published, claimed he was already addicted.

    B*llocks !!! If he knew the dangers, he could have stopped. He chose to continue smoking (which is fine) but didn't want to, then died. Simple.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • CHRISNOIR
    CHRISNOIR Posts: 1,400
    Wow, think of all the tabs you could buy with $13.8m.
  • timb64
    timb64 Posts: 248
    Bl*%dy stupid Americans :evil:
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    Bloody stupid Judges.

    The most he should have got was his money back! Presumably the Govt should be partially culpable for allowing such a dangerous substance to be sold in the first place.
  • Monkeypump
    Monkeypump Posts: 1,528
    This is absolutely outrageous. How does Jodie Bullock think she has the right to an absurdly high payout simply because her mother made an unwise lifestyle choice?

    So rather than mourn the loss of her mother, she sees a money-grabbing opportunity... nice.
  • jrduquemin
    jrduquemin Posts: 791
    I agree. Typical US mentality means you sue someone else for your own stupidity. Unfortunately, this country is going down the same path and is becoming very litigatious.
    2010 Lynskey R230
    2013 Yeti SB66
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    GiantMike wrote:
    The most he should have got was his money back!

    Which was probably about $13.8M !!!

    the annoying thing is, the tax revenue on tabacco will FAR outweight the payout, so the government will happily let people buy it.

    Look at the UK at the moment.
    I hear today that a 'Legal High' alternative to Canabis is to be banned at the end of the year, because a couple of idiots have killed themselves using it (Yeah, I know, there's more to it than that). What about the thousands of deaths annually from alcohol of tobacco and the huge NHS bill caring for people with alcohol and tobacco related disease...... Shouldn't alcohol and tobacco be banned too ? Oh yeah, we pay for the NHS, not the government, and in return the government gets all of the tax ££££ from the alcohol and tobacco.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • mask of sanity
    mask of sanity Posts: 610
    GiantMike wrote:
    The most he should have got was his money back!

    Not at all!!! They risks were known so what's so special about her case?!?! Got no sympathy for smokers as it's 100% their own choice whether they smoke or not!

    This case is outrageous!!
  • Nuggs
    Nuggs Posts: 1,804
    It strikes me that this case is more about public policy on the part of the judges.

    How many people will die of smoking-related diseases this year? Award just a small percentage of them/their families sums like £10m and you've bankrupted the tobacco companies practically overnight.

    I'm surprised tobacco company stock hasn't plunged into the sea...
  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    Nuggs wrote:
    It strikes me that this case is more about public policy on the part of the judges.

    How many people will die of smoking-related diseases this year? Award just a small percentage of them/their families sums like £10m and you've bankrupted the tobacco companies practically overnight.

    I'm surprised tobacco company stock hasn't plunged into the sea...

    Or gone up in smoke.....................
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
    Think how stupid the average person is.......
    half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.
  • stevenmh
    stevenmh Posts: 180
    Monkeypump wrote:
    This is absolutely outrageous. How does Jodie Bullock think she has the right to an absurdly high payout simply because her mother made an unwise lifestyle choice?

    So rather than mourn the loss of her mother, she sees a money-grabbing opportunity... nice.

    True, but if it had been given to her mother she would have probably been the beneficiary anyway. Would just have had to pay tax on the inheritance I guess.

    Like I said before, I am not defending this case. It completely baffles me.

    It does make me wonder what the exact details of the case are, because surely this opens the way for millions of other smokers and non smokers to file cases......
  • Frank the tank
    Frank the tank Posts: 6,553
    Surely it's a case of the chap choose a rather long and expensive way to commit suicide.
    Tail end Charlie

    The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.
  • nolf
    nolf Posts: 1,287
    Nuggs wrote:
    It strikes me that this case is more about public policy on the part of the judges.

    How many people will die of smoking-related diseases this year? Award just a small percentage of them/their families sums like £10m and you've bankrupted the tobacco companies practically overnight.

    I'm surprised tobacco company stock hasn't plunged into the sea...

    To be honest, I'm not particularly bothered if tobacco companies go bust.
    I feel sorry for their employees, but all tobacco companies create are things which are extremely bad for you.

    Alcohol can be consumed in moderation without long term effects, and is not physically addictive. Cigarettes give you a high from the nicotine which is an addictive drug.

    A few court cases won't bankrupt them anyway. Tobacco companies have a lot of retained cash and large overdrafts, and are still extremely profitable regardless.
    Bankrupcy would only really be an issue if there was a class action lawsuit, then it wouldn't be so much bankrupcy as the cost of lawsuit insurance would force them to shut shop.
    "I hold it true, what'er befall;
    I feel it, when I sorrow most;
    'Tis better to have loved and lost;
    Than never to have loved at all."

    Alfred Tennyson
  • mask of sanity
    mask of sanity Posts: 610
    nolf wrote:
    Alcohol can be consumed in moderation without long term effects, and is not physically addictive. Cigarettes give you a high from the nicotine which is an addictive drug.

    I agree with you (to a certain extent) on the moderation side of drinking alcohol, however it is very addictive!!

    Also addiction is much more complex than the physical side, the psychological side of addiction is much more significant! I believe the physical addiction (the body needing nicotine) can go after just seven days of not smoking, however the psychological addiction can last a great deal longer.

Categories