Betty Bullock

Betty Bullock was the Plaintiff in case of Bullock v. Philip Morris. Bullock started smoking in the 1950s at age 17 and was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001. The cancer spread to her liver, but she remained addicted that she still snuck an occasional cigarette. Prior to her death, she sued Philip Morris for fraud and negligence, saying she believed PM when the company had said in the past there was no evidence that smoking caused cancer, despite medical evidence to the contrary. She sought both compensatory and punitive damages from Philip Morris, for making and selling a defective product and concealing its health dangers.

In October 2002, a Los Angeles jury awarded Ms. Bullock $28 billion in punitive damages against Philip Morrisl, the most ever in a smoking-related trial at that time.

Related documents

 * Trial Testimony of Betty Bullock, Sept. 9, 2002, in Bullock v. Philip Morris

External resources

 * Philip Morris hit by record damages, BBC news, oct. 4, 2002

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