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Torts Keyed to Henderson
Bifolck v. Philip Morris, Inc.
Citation:
152 A.3d 1183 (2016)Facts
The plaintiff, Vincent Bifolck, brought a product liability action against Philip Morris after his wife died from lung cancer at age 42. He alleged that the Marlboro and Marlboro Light cigarettes manufactured by the defendant were defectively designed, making them unnecessarily addictive and carcinogenic. Specifically, the plaintiff claimed that the defendant had added carcinogenic ingredients that altered the natural form of tobacco and utilized manufacturing processes that affected the composition of the tobacco and nicotine, as well as how the cigarette smoke was transmitted to the smoker. The plaintiff asserted both strict liability and negligence theories, claiming that the defendant failed to conform to the applicable standard of care by knowingly designing cigarettes that enhanced their addictive and cancer-causing properties. The plaintiff sought both compensatory and punitive damages under Connecticut’s Product Liability Act.
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