Casino Workers Denied Class Status in Suit

Tobacco companies won another round in court as a group of casino workers were again denied class certification in their suit against the industry to recover tobacco-related medical expenses. Judge Marina Corodemus for the second time refused to grant the workers class status. In a similar ruling in April, the New Jersey judge said there were too many different products and plaintiffs involved in the suit to allow certification of a class. The workers, who were nonsmokers, were asking for unspecified damages. Defendants include Philip Morris Cos., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc., Loews Corp.’s Lorillard Tobacco, British American Tobacco’s Brown & Williamson, and Brooke Group Ltd. Last November, the tobacco industry sought to limit its exposure to lawsuits by settling smoking-related cases filed by 46 state attorneys general for $206 billion over 25 years. Four states earlier had settled their claims for about $40 billion.