R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company to seek further review of Scott case

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal today issued its ruling in the Scott class action, a suit brought by smokers in the state against cigarette manufacturers, including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.

"The court reduced the amount of potential damages by at least 70 percent," said Jeff Raborn, senior counsel for R.J. Reynolds. "We are certainly pleased with that, but we remain convinced that the class should be decertified and the case completely reversed."

Raborn added R.J. Reynolds will seek further review of the case.

In the case, a Louisiana jury in 2004 rejected plaintiff's claims for medical monitoring and defective product but found defendants should be responsible for a smoking cessation program in the state.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, an indirect subsidiary of Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) , is the second-largest tobacco company in the United States, manufacturing about one of every three cigarettes sold in the country. The company's brands include five of the 10 best-selling U.S. cigarette brands: Camel, Kool, Winston, Salem and Doral. For more information, visit http://www.rjrt.com/.