Vector Group and its Ligget tobacco unit will pay USD 110 million (EUR 80 million) to free themselves from more than 4,900 Engle progeny cases, the company said.

"We are pleased to reach this landmark settlement, which prudently resolves substantially all of the Engle progeny cases pending against us. The Engle progeny cases have been the biggest litigation overhang on our company in the last decade,” said Vector Group Board Chairman Bennett Lebow. Vector had faced roughly 5,300 Engle claims. USD 61 million will be paid in a lump sum and the remaining USD 49 million over 15 years, the company said.
Engle progeny cases are named after a Florida class-action suit filed in 1994 bearing the name of deceased smoker Howard Engle. The state Supreme Court in 2006 dismissed the suit seeking damages from tobacco companies, but allowed plaintiffs to make use of evidence findings from the class-action suit to pursue individual damage claims.