No private plaintiff has yet collected a single judgment against the tobacco companies. Most attempts to certify class actions have been unsuccessful. The second scenario is that the lawsuits that are currently pending are fabulously successful. The existing tobacco companies are driven into the ground. They pay huge judgments, then declare bankruptcy.
New companies start up.
The claims of outrageously improper conduct are now irrelevant. The devastating internal corporate memoranda are now worthless. There is no corporate entity left to foot the bill for even the most compelling individual claim. The third scenario is that the litigation results provide a mixed bag. Some suits are successful and others are not.