US widow awarded €17bn in damages from tobacco company

America’s second biggest cigarette maker has vowed to fight a Florida jury verdict of $23.6bn (€17.4bn) in punitive damages in a case filed by the widow of a smoker who died of lung cancer.

RJ Reynolds Tobacco executive J Jeffery Raborn said the damages awarded yesterday to widow Cynthia Robinson by a Pensacola jury are “grossly excessive” and Reynolds will appeal.