Berreras v. American Tobacco Co.
(Class Action US Dist. Ct. PR 1997) Portions of this case are in Spanish, or done with use of an interpreter.This class action suit was brought by Carmen Nivia Barreras Ruiz, Angel O. Montanez Rivera, Maria C. Agrait Arroyo, Carmen Rios Vazques, Carlos Manzanal Valencia and Francisco Aviles Rodriguez against American Tobacco Co., American Brands, R.J. Reynolds, Philip Morris, Brown & Williamson, Lorillard, the Tobacco Institute, British American Tobacco and the Council for Tobacco Research.
The class in this case seemed to be all addicted smokers suffering from cancer or other diseases due to smoking in Puerto Rico. The plaintiffs alleged that smoking the defendants' cigarettes was responsible for injury to themselves and their families. The representative plaintiffs included the wife of a Puerto Rican Senator. Smoking was addictive, preventing them from stopping before the injuries occurred. The plaintiffs sought monetary damages, restitution, and medical monitoring.
The case was heard in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.