cases ; ( ii ) management is unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss that could result from an unfavorable outcome in any of the pending tobacco-related cases ; and ( iii ) accordingly , management has not provided any amounts in the consolidated financial statements for unfavorable outcomes , if any .
legal defense costs are expensed as incurred .
altria group , inc .
and its subsidiaries have achieved substantial success in managing litigation .
nevertheless , litigation is subject to uncertainty and significant challenges remain .
it is possible that the consolidated results of operations , cash flows or financial position of altria group , inc. , or one or more of its subsidiaries , could be materially affected in a particular fiscal quarter or fiscal year by an unfavorable outcome or settlement of certain pending litigation .
altria group , inc .
and each of its subsidiaries named as a defendant believe , and each has been so advised by counsel handling the respective cases , that it has valid defenses to the litigation pending against it , as well as valid bases for appeal of adverse verdicts .
each of the companies has defended , and will continue to defend , vigorously against litigation challenges .
however , altria group , inc .
and its subsidiaries may enter into settlement discussions in particular cases if they believe it is in the best interests of altria group , inc .
to do so .
overview of altria group , inc .
and/or pm usa tobacco-related litigation types and number of cases : claims related to tobacco products generally fall within the following categories : ( i ) smoking and health cases alleging personal injury brought on behalf of individual plaintiffs ; ( ii ) smoking and health cases primarily alleging personal injury or seeking court- supervised programs for ongoing medical monitoring and purporting to be brought on behalf of a class of individual plaintiffs , including cases in which the aggregated claims of a number of individual plaintiffs are to be tried in a single proceeding ; ( iii ) health care cost recovery cases brought by governmental ( both domestic and foreign ) plaintiffs seeking reimbursement for health care expenditures allegedly caused by cigarette smoking and/or disgorgement of profits ; ( iv ) class action suits alleging that the uses of the terms 201clights 201d and 201cultra lights 201d constitute deceptive and unfair trade practices , common law or statutory fraud , unjust enrichment , breach of warranty or violations of the racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations act ( 201crico 201d ) ; and ( v ) other tobacco- related litigation described below .
plaintiffs 2019 theories of recovery and the defenses raised in pending smoking and health , health care cost recovery and 201clights/ultra lights 201d cases are discussed below .
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 , 2014 , december 31 , 2013 and december 31 , 2012 .
type of case number of cases pending as of december 31 , 2014 number of cases pending as of december 31 , 2013 number of cases pending as of december 31 , 2012 individual smoking and health cases ( 1 ) 67 67 77 smoking and health class actions and aggregated claims litigation ( 2 ) 5 6 7 health care cost recovery actions ( 3 ) 1 1 1 .

type of case
number of casespending as ofdecember 31 2014
number of casespending as ofdecember 31 2013
number of casespending as ofdecember 31 2012
individual smoking and health cases ( 1 )
67
67
77
smoking and health class actions and aggregated claims litigation ( 2 )
5
6
7
health care cost recovery actions ( 3 )
1
1
1
201clights/ultra lights 201d class actions
12
15
14

( 1 ) does not include 2558 cases brought by flight attendants seeking compensatory damages for personal injuries allegedly caused by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke ( 201cets 201d ) .
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 allow class members to file individual lawsuits seeking compensatory damages , but prohibit 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 600 civil actions ( of which 346 were actions against pm usa ) that were to be tried in a single proceeding in west virginia ( in re : tobacco litigation ) .
the west virginia supreme court of appeals has ruled that the united states constitution did not preclude a trial in two phases in this case .
issues related to defendants 2019 conduct and whether punitive damages are permissible were tried in the first phase .
trial in the first phase of this case began in april 2013 .
in may 2013 , the jury returned a verdict in favor of defendants on the claims for design defect , negligence , failure to warn , breach of warranty , and concealment and declined to find that the defendants 2019 conduct warranted punitive damages .
plaintiffs prevailed on their claim that ventilated filter cigarettes should have included use instructions for the period 1964 - 1969 .
the second phase , if any , will consist of individual trials to determine liability and compensatory damages on that claim only .
in august 2013 , the trial court denied all post-trial motions .
the trial court entered final judgment in october 2013 and , in november 2013 , plaintiffs filed their notice of appeal to the west virginia supreme court of appeals .
on november 3 , 2014 , the west virginia supreme court of appeals affirmed the final judgment .
plaintiffs filed a petition for rehearing with the west virginia supreme court of appeals , which the court denied on january 8 , 2015 .
( 3 ) see health care cost recovery litigation - federal government 2019s lawsuit below .
altria group , inc .
and subsidiaries notes to consolidated financial statements _________________________ altria_mdc_2014form10k_nolinks_crops.pdf 68 2/25/15 5:56 pm .

Question: what is the total tobacco-related cases pending in the united states as of december 31 , 2014?
Answer: 85

Question: what is the total tobacco-related cases pending in the united states as of december 31 , 2013?
Answer: 89