Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
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Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
The information required by this Item is included in Note 19. Contingencies to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 (“Note 19”) and Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 to this Form 10-K. Altria’s consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2023 were filed on Form 8-K on February 1, 2024 (such consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes are also included in Item 8). The following summarizes certain developments in Altria’s litigation since the filing of the Form 8-K.
Recent Developments
**▪**Engle Progeny Trial Results
In Schertzer, in January 2024, the Florida Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the final judgment against PM USA and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, awarding plaintiff $3 million in compensatory damages plus attorneys’ fees and no punitive damages. We intend to file post-trial motions and, if necessary, an appeal.
**▪**Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation
Settlements of NPM Adjustment Disputes: In February 2024, Idaho joined the multistate settlement, settling adjustment disputes through 2031 and bringing the total number of states and territories that have joined the multistate settlement to 39. As a result, PM USA will receive approximately $8 million for 2005 through 2023, $2 million of which relates to the 2021 through 2023 “transition years.” In connection with this development, PM USA recorded $8 million as a reduction in cost of sales in the first quarter of 2024.
**▪**IQOS Litigation
In February 2024, PMI and British American Tobacco p.l.c. agreed to settle multiple ongoing patent infringement disputes, including the patent infringement action pending before the ITC. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the parties agreed, among other things, to request rescission of the limited exclusion order barring the importation of the IQOS System electronic device, Marlboro HeatSticks and component parts into the United States and the cease and desist order barring domestic sales, marketing and distribution of these imported products.
**▪**Antitrust Litigation
In February 2024, the trial court ordered that two of three direct-purchaser plaintiffs’ claims against JUUL be sent to arbitration pursuant to an arbitration provision in JUUL’s online purchase agreement and dismissed without prejudice all three direct-purchaser plaintiffs’ claims for injunctive relief.
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