Contingencies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Contingencies

The table below lists the number of certain tobacco-related cases pending in the U.S. against PM USA and/or Altria as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018:

	2020	2019	2018
Individual Smoking and Health Cases (1)	148	104	100
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions (2)	1	1	1
E-vapor Cases(3)	1,563	101	—
Other Tobacco-Related Cases(4)	3	4	4

(1) Includes 16 cases filed in New Mexico, 30 cases filed in Massachusetts and 60 non-Engle cases filed in Florida. 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 (these Engle progeny cases are discussed below in Smoking and Health Litigation - Engle Class Action). Also does not include 1,471 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. In March 2018, 923 of these cases were voluntarily dismissed without prejudice.

(2) See Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation - Federal Government’s Lawsuit below.

(3) Includes 27 class action lawsuits, three of which were filed in Canada, 1,468 individual lawsuits and 68 “third party” lawsuits relating to JUUL e-vapor products, which include school districts, state and local government, tribal and healthcare organization lawsuits. JUUL is an additional named defendant in each of these lawsuits.

(4) Includes one inactive smoking and health case alleging personal injury and purporting to be brought on behalf of a class of individual plaintiffs and two inactive class action lawsuits alleging that use of the terms “Lights” and “Ultra Lights” constitute deceptive and unfair trade practices, common law or statutory fraud, unjust enrichment, breach of warranty or violations of RICO.

The changes in Altria’s accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items, including related interest costs, for the periods specified below are as follows:

(in millions)	2020			2019			2018
Accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items at beginning of period (1)	$	14		$	112		$	106
Pre-tax charges for:
Tobacco and health litigation	79		(1)(2)	72		(1)(2)	113
Related interest costs	4			5			18
Payments (1)	(88)		(3)	(175)		(3)	(125)
Accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items at end of period (1)	$	9		$	14		$	112

(1) Includes amounts related to the costs of implementing the corrective communications remedy related to the Federal Government’s Lawsuit discussed below.

(2) Includes certain costs related to pre-trial resolution of tobacco and health cases.

(3) Includes amounts related to (i) payments for pre-trial resolution of tobacco and health cases and (ii) costs for pre-trial resolution of other tobacco and health cases accrued in the prior year and paid in the identified year.

Currently Pending Engle Cases with Accrued Liabilities

(rounded to nearest $ million)

Plaintiff	Verdict Date	Defendant(s)	Court	Compensatory Damages (All Defendants)	Punitive Damages (PM USA)	Appeal Status	Accrual (1)
Berger (Cote)	September 2014	PM USA	Federal Court - Middle District of Florida	$6 million	$21 million	The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the punitive and compensatory damages awards and remanded the case to the district court. PM USA’s challenge to the punitive damages award was denied by the district court. Upon appeal by PM USA, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the punitive damages award.	$6 million accrual in the fourth quarter of 2018
Santoro	March 2017	PM USA, R.J. Reynolds and Liggett Group(2)	Broward	$2 million (<$1 million PM USA)	<$1 million	The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the compensatory damages award and reinstated the punitive damages award. Defendants’ motion for rehearing was denied. Defendants’ appeal to the Florida Supreme Court of the punitive damages award was also denied.	<$1 million accrual for compensatory damages award in the second quarter of 2020

(1) Accrual amounts include interest and associated costs, if applicable. For cases with multiple defendants, if any, accrual amounts reflect the portion of compensatory damages PM USA believes it will have to pay if the case is ultimately decided in plaintiff’s favor after taking into account any portion potentially payable by the other defendant(s).

(2) References to “R.J. Reynolds,” “Lorillard” and “Liggett Group” are to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Lorillard Tobacco Company and Liggett Group, LLC, respectively.

Other Currently Pending Engle Cases with Verdicts Against PM USA

(rounded to nearest $ million)

Plaintiff	Verdict Date	Defendant(s)	Court	Compensatory Damages (1)	Punitive Damages (PM USA)	Appeal Status
Duignan	February 2020(2)	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Pinellas	$3 million	$12 million	Appeal by defendants to Second District Court of Appeal pending.
Cuddihee	January 2020	PM USA	Duval	$3 million	$0	Appeal by plaintiff and defendant to First District Court of Appeal pending.
Rintoul (Caprio)	November 2019(2)	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Broward	$9 million	$74 million	Appeal by plaintiff and defendants to Fourth District Court of Appeal pending.
Gloger	November 2019(2)	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Miami-Dade	$15 million	$11 million	Appeal by defendants to Third District Court of Appeal pending.
McCall	March 2019	PM USA	Broward	<$1 million (<$1 million PM USA)	$0	New trial ordered on punitive damages.
Neff	March 2019	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Broward	$4 million	$2 million	Appeals by plaintiff and defendants to Fourth District Court of Appeal pending.
Mahfuz	February 2019	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Broward	$12 million	$10 million	Appeals by plaintiff and defendants to Fourth District Court of Appeal pending.
Holliman	February 2019	PM USA	Miami-Dade	$3 million	$0	Defendant’s appeal to Third District Court of Appeal pending.
Chadwell	September 2018	PM USA	Miami-Dade	$2 million	$0	Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the compensatory damages award. PM USA petitioned Florida Supreme Court for review. Case stayed pending Florida Supreme Court decision in Prentice.(3)
Kaplan	July 2018	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Broward	$2 million	$2 million	Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the verdict. Defendants’ motion for rehearing pending.
(1) PM USA’s portion of the compensatory damages award is noted parenthetically where the court has ruled that comparative fault applies.
(2) Plaintiff’s verdict following a retrial of an initial verdict in favor of plaintiff.
(3) PM USA is not a defendant in this case.

Other Currently Pending Engle Cases with Verdicts Against PM USA
(rounded to nearest $ million)
Plaintiff	Verdict Date	Defendant(s)	Court	Compensatory Damages (1)	Punitive Damages (PM USA)	Appeal Status
R. Douglas	November 2017	PM USA	Duval	<$1 million	$0	Awaiting entry of final judgment by the trial court.
Sommers	April 2017	PM USA	Miami-Dade	$1 million	$0	Third District Court of Appeal affirmed compensatory damages award and granted new trial on punitive damages. Florida Supreme Court denied PM USA’s petition for review of the Third District Court of Appeal's decision. PM USA paid approximately $1 million for the compensatory damages award and awaits the new trial on punitive damages. (2)
Cooper (Blackwood)	September 2015	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Broward	$5 million (<$1 million PM USA)	$0	Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed judgment and granted a new trial on punitive damages.
D. Brown	January 2015	PM USA	Federal Court - Middle District of Florida	$8 million	$9 million	Appeal by defendant to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit stayed pending Florida Supreme Court decision in Prentice.(3)
Harris	July 2014	PM USA, R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard	Federal Court - Middle District of Florida	$2 million (<$1 million PM USA)	$0	U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reversed the judgment against PM USA and remanded to the district court to enter judgment for the defendants.

(1) PM USA’s portion of the compensatory damages award is noted parenthetically where the court has ruled that comparative fault applies.

(2) Plaintiff was granted an award of approximately $3 million in fees, costs and interest that PM USA has appealed.

(3) PM USA is not a defendant in this case.

Engle Cases Concluded Within Past 12 Months(1)

(rounded to nearest $ million)

Plaintiff	Verdict Date	Defendant(s)	Court	Accrual Date	Payment Amount (if any)	Payment Date
Dean (Kerrivan)(2)	October 2014	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Federal Court - Middle District of Florida	Third quarter of 2020	$26 million	August 2020
Landi(3)	June 2018	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Broward	Second quarter of 2020	$10 million	July 2020
Theis(4)	May 2018	PM USA and R.J. Reynolds	Sarasota	First quarter of 2020	$17 million	February 2020

(1) In four cases in which PM USA paid the judgments more than a year ago, Naugle, Gore, M. Brown and Jordan, plaintiffs were awarded approximately $8 million, $2 million, $9 million and $4 million in fees and costs, respectively. PM USA has appealed in all of these cases.

(2) In August 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit denied the defendants’ petition for rehearing. As a result, in the third quarter of 2020, PM USA recorded a pre-tax provision of approximately $26 million, reflecting its portion of the judgment plus interest, and paid this amount in August 2020.

(3) In June 2020, the Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the compensatory damages award. As a result, in the second quarter of 2020, PM USA recorded a pre-tax provision of approximately $10 million for the judgment plus interest and paid this amount in July 2020.

(4) In February 2020, the Florida Second District Court of Appeal denied PM USA’s petition for review.  As a result, in the first quarter of 2020, PM USA recorded a pre-tax provision of approximately $17 million for the judgment plus interest and paid this amount.