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R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Konzelman

DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOURTH DISTRICT
May 9, 2018
248 So. 3d 134 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2018)

Summary

In Konzelman, the Fourth District simply cited Allen and Evers in concluding that the 1999 amendments do not "appl[y] in an Engle progeny personal injury suit that is converted into a wrongful death action."

Summary of this case from Sheffield v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Opinion

No. 4D16–4310

05-09-2018

R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY, Appellant, v. Alan KONZELMAN, As Personal Representative of the Estate of Eleanor Konzelman, Appellee.

Ashley C. Parrish of King & Spalding, LLP, Washington, D.C., and William L. Durham II and Val Leppert of King & Spalding LLP, Atlanta, Georgia, for appellant. John S. Mills and Courtney Brewer of The Mills Firm, P.A., Tallahassee, and Eric S. Rosen of Kelley Uustal, PLC, Fort Lauderdale, for appellee.


Ashley C. Parrish of King & Spalding, LLP, Washington, D.C., and William L. Durham II and Val Leppert of King & Spalding LLP, Atlanta, Georgia, for appellant.

John S. Mills and Courtney Brewer of The Mills Firm, P.A., Tallahassee, and Eric S. Rosen of Kelley Uustal, PLC, Fort Lauderdale, for appellee.

Per Curiam.Appellant R.J. Reynolds raises several issues on appeal, and we affirm as to all of them. With regard to the applicable punitive damages statute, we agree with the First and Second District Courts of Appeal in holding that the pre–1999 version of section 768.73, Florida Statutes, applies in an Engle progeny personal injury suit that is converted into a wrongful death action upon the smoker’s death. See R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Allen for Estate of Allen , 228 So.3d 684, 689–90 (Fla. 1st DCA 2017) ; R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Evers , 232 So.3d 457, 462–63 (Fla. 2d DCA 2017) ; see also R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Buonomo , 138 So.3d 1049, 1052 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013) (noting that parties did not dispute applicability of pre–1999 version of punitive damages statute), quashed on other grounds sub nom. , 41 Fla. L. Weekly S113, 2016 WL 374082 (Jan. 26, 2016).

With regard to the issue raised on cross-appeal, we find that the trial court erred in reducing the compensatory award based on comparative fault. See Schoeff v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. , 232 So.3d 294, 305 (Fla. 2017). We therefore reverse and remand for further proceedings consistent with the Florida Supreme Court’s opinion.

Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded for further proceedings.

Levine, Conner and Forst, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Konzelman

DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOURTH DISTRICT
May 9, 2018
248 So. 3d 134 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2018)

In Konzelman, the Fourth District simply cited Allen and Evers in concluding that the 1999 amendments do not "appl[y] in an Engle progeny personal injury suit that is converted into a wrongful death action."

Summary of this case from Sheffield v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

In Konzelman, we concluded that the pre-1999 version of section 768.73, Florida Statutes, applies in an Engle progeny personal injury suit that is converted into a wrongful death action upon the smoker's death.

Summary of this case from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Kaplan

In R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Konzelman, 248 So. 3d 134 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018), we concluded that the pre-1999 version of section 768.73, Florida Statutes, applies in an Engle progeny personal injury suit that is converted into a wrongful death action upon the smoker's death.

Summary of this case from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Mattson

In R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Konzelman, 248 So.3d 134 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018), we concluded that the pre-1999 version of section 768.73, Florida Statutes, applies in an Engle progeny personal injury suit that is converted into a wrongful death action upon the smoker's death.

Summary of this case from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Mattson
Case details for

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Konzelman

Case Details

Full title:R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY, Appellant, v. ALAN KONZELMAN, as Personal…

Court:DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOURTH DISTRICT

Date published: May 9, 2018

Citations

248 So. 3d 134 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2018)

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