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Contingencies (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of Loss Contingencies By Contingency
The changes in Altria Group, Inc.’s accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items, including related interest costs, for the periods specified below are as follows:
(in millions)
2017
 
2016
 
2015
Accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items at beginning of year
$
47

 
$
132

 
$
39

Pre-tax charges for:
 
 
 
 
 
Tobacco and health judgments
72

 
21

 
84

Related interest costs
8

 
7

 
23

Agreement to resolve federal Engle progeny cases
—

 
—

 
43

Agreement to resolve Aspinall including related
interest costs
—

 
32

 
—

        Agreement to resolve Miner 
—

 
45

 
—

Payments
(21
)
 
(190
)
 
(57
)
Accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items at
      end of year
$
106

 
$
47

 
$
132

The table below lists the number of certain tobacco-related cases pending in the United States against PM USA and, in some instances, Altria Group, Inc. as of December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015:
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
Individual Smoking and Health Cases (1)
92
 
70
 
65
Smoking and Health Class Actions and Aggregated Claims Litigation (2)
4
 
5
 
5
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions (3)
1
 
1
 
1
“Lights/Ultra Lights” Class Actions
3
 
8
 
11
(1) Does not include 2,414 cases brought by flight attendants seeking compensatory damages for personal injuries allegedly caused by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (“ETS”). The flight attendants allege that they are members of an ETS smoking and health class action in Florida, which was settled in 1997 (Broin). The terms of the court-approved settlement in that case allowed class members to file individual lawsuits seeking compensatory damages, but prohibited them from seeking punitive damages. Also, does not include individual smoking and health cases brought by or on behalf of plaintiffs in Florida state and federal courts following the decertification of the Engle case (discussed below in Smoking and Health Litigation - Engle Class Action).
(2) Includes as one case the 30 civil actions that were to be tried in six consolidated trials in West Virginia (In re: Tobacco Litigation). PM USA is a defendant in nine of the 30 cases. The parties have agreed to resolve the cases for an immaterial amount and have so notified the court.
(3) See Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation - Federal Government’s Lawsuit below.