montrealgazette.com – 25 de septiembre de 2014 – Canadá

$20 billion class-action lawsuit against tobacco companies enters final stage

MONTREAL — A $20-billion class-action lawsuit brought against Canada’s three major tobacco companies entered its final stage on Monday as a Quebec Superior Court judge began hearing closing arguments in the case.

Evidence began being presented to Justice Brian Riordan two years ago and the lawsuit was originally filed in 1998. The final arguments are expected to continue for at least 18 days and conclude in November.

The case actually involves two class-action suits being heard at the same time. It is the first class-action lawsuit against a tobacco company to go to trial in Canada. One case involves more than 160,000 smokers and former smokers who are victims of lung and throat cancer or emphysema seeking more than $11 billion. The other represents more than 918,000 people who became dependent on tobacco because of the addictiveness of nicotine. They are seeking more than $9 billion.

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