Jury Clears Client in Engle-Progeny Lawsuit

In one of the first Engle progeny cases to come to trial in 2015, Philip Morris USA received a defense verdict from a Miami-Dade County jury. After a three-week trial, the jury found that cigarettes made by Philip Morris were not the cause of Jose Vila Jr.’s laryngeal cancer. Vila lived in Spain, Costa Rica, Cuba and the Dominican Republic before moving to Florida in 1989 at the age of 35. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1994, had a laryngectomy in 1996, and has been on disability since 1997.

Partners Miranda Lundeen Soto and Michael Walden were key members of the Shook team in its successful defense of Philip Morris USA.

Read Law360’s trial coverage for more information.