Monetary settlements and fines can hamstring or even bankrupt companies, and companies can be forced to accept restrictions that legislators would never approve. The primary goal of the anti-tobacco lawsuits was to force the wealthy tobacco industry to hand over large monetary settlements. Any significant monetary settlements would be a bonus for city officials. Only courts can level the playing field. Even if the industries use their political muscle to end the litigation, our efforts will be worthwhile because we will have sparked a debate.
Debate brings compromise.
Coale, husband of CNN legal analyst Greta Van Susteren, is a founding member of the Castano Group of trial lawyers that first sued the tobacco companies in 1994. Not surprisingly, the Castano lawyers are again involved in anti-gun lawsuits at the urging of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. But without the lure of significant monetary settlements, Coale and his fellow trial attorneys rely on government and private funding to pay their fees. Blame the product and its manufacturers. As in the anti-tobacco campaign, which blamed tobacco companies for the health costs associated with smoking, advocates for gun control blame gun manufacturers for the misuse of guns.