CHICAGO – A Cook County man has sued a group of tobacco companies, alleging he was unaware that exposure to cigarettes would cause him to develop cancer and other diseases associated with smoking cigarettes.
Sydney M. Mitchell filed a complaint on Oct. 18 in Cook County Circuit Court against Philip Morris USA Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Liggett Group LLC, and others, alleging negligence and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff smoked cigarette products designed, manufactured and sold by the defendants. The suit states around Oct. 19, 2016, he was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer caused by smoking cigarettes. He alleges the defendants' products were defective and had an unreasonably dangerous condition.
The plaintiff alleges the companies failed to provide adequate warning prior to July 1969 of the potential harm that may result from exposure and that the products by design contained tar, carcinogens and other harmful substances.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks compensatory damages, costs of the suit, interest and other further relief both at law and in equity to which he may show himself to be justly entitled. He is represented by Craig D. Brown and Gladys P. Santana of Meyers & Flowers LLC in St. Charles.
Cook County Circuit Court Case number 2018L011336