71.   Negotiations by two tobacco companies to reach a nationwide settlement that would protect them against punitive damage claims have broken off, lawyers involved in the talks said.

72.   Rustad argued that product liability lawsuits and punitive damage awards against corporate wrongdoers have led to safer American products.

73.   That means the airline is liable only for actual damages and not for any punitive damage award.

74.   The debate followed a Senate vote earlier Tuesday to limit punitive damage awards against doctors and other health care providers.

75.   The legislation is a retreat from an earlier version that would have limited punitive damage awards in all civil lawsuits, not just faulty-products cases.

76.   The Senate voted Tuesday to limit punitive damage awards against doctors and other health care providers at twice the total compensation awarded to a claimant.

77.   The Senate on Wednesday narrowly approved a wide-ranging proposal by Majority Leader Bob Dole to limit punitive damage awards in all civil lawsuits in federal and state courts.

78.   They also oppose provisions that would open the way to lawsuits in state and federal courts, and to potentially huge punitive damage awards.

79.   Tobacco attorneys acted based on a motion filed on the day of the punitive damage verdict by a union health care plan seeking to intervene.

80.   The plan also includes reforms to government regulations which US companies maintain are onerous and laws limiting punitive damage awards from lawsuits.