Tobacco Company not Worried about $26.3 Billion Judgment

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company didn't see as much loss in stocks on Monday after a jury issued a $26.3 billion judgment against them. Cynthia Robinson sued the tobacco company after her husband passed away from lung cancer. Michael Johnson was only 36 when he died in 1996. Earlier today the judgment was in favor of Mrs. Robinson who claimed that the company was negligent by failing to inform her husband that smoking is addictive and could lead to lung cancer. The tobacco company is unmoved by this monetary amount and stated that there are about 8000 cases pending against them presently. Rather than being handled as a class action, they are being litigated one at a time. Reynolds expects that the cases, including Robinson's case will simply be held up in appeals and remain tied up. However, after the punitive damages were awarded to the smoker's widow last week, tobacco stocks took a fairly sharp dive.