Judge Dismisses Suits by Union Health Plans

A New York judge dismissed lawsuits against tobacco companies brought by 14 union health plans that sought to recover money spent treating smoking-related illnesses, ruling that the harm claimed by the plaintiffs was too far removed from the companies’ alleged conduct. The suits go back to 1997, when five union health plans, including Eastern States Health & Welfare Fund and ILGWU Health Services Plan, filed the first complaints. Justice Charles Edward Ramos of New York state Supreme Court also dismissed nine similar suits brought by other union funds. Although individual plaintiffs have met with some success suing the industry for damages, in only one case thus far has a third-party complaint, such as one filed by a labor union, managed to make its way to trial.