RJ Reynolds' $23-billion punitive damage award unlikely to stand: experts

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RJ Reynolds' $23-billion punitive damage award unlikely to stand: experts

<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/rj-reynolds-23-billion-punitive-damage-award-unlikely-220047214--sector.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/s6qB9X_RIsj6m_ohCQX5mw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9NzU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2014-07-20T220047Z_1_LYNXMPEA6J0D4_RTROPTP_2_USA.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="The headquarters of Reynolds American is seen with old R.J. Reynolds Tobacco smoke stacks from a previous manufacturing plant in downtown Winston-Salem" align="left" title="The headquarters of Reynolds American is seen with old R.J. Reynolds Tobacco smoke stacks from a previous manufacturing plant in downtown Winston-Salem" border="0" /></a>By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss and David Ingram NEW YORK (Reuters) - A decision by a Florida jury to impose punitive damages of $23.6 billion against RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company on Friday is likely to be rejected on appeal or the award reduced substantially, lawyers with expertise in jury awards said on Sunday. The award, which the cigarette maker has said it will contest, likely falls outside the boundaries for punitive damages that the U.S. Supreme Court has laid down in a series of cases, the lawyers told Reuters. RJ Reynolds is a unit of Reynolds American , which last week announced it would acquire rival Lorillard Inc in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $27.4 billion, including net debt. A Florida state court jury decided the award in a case brought by Cynthia Robinson of Pensacola.</p><br clear="all"/>

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