Winner of $8 Million because of smoking consequences
Barbara Izzarelli was in her early teens in the 1970s when she began smoking Salem cigarettes. She was soon hooked by the nicotine. She smoked heavily every day — all day – for more than 20 years.In 1996, at age 36, she developed larynx cancer. The following year she underwent a total laryngectomy. That was followed by radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The Norwich woman can no longer breathe through her mouth or nose; she uses a tube in her throat. Her diet consists of soft foods like pudding and mashed potatoes.Last week, she became a footnote in legal history. A federal jury in Bridgeport awarded her $8 million this week in what is believed to be the first successful product liability lawsuit in Connecticut by an individual plaintiff against a tobacco company. Read more