$145bn case sets record in US litigation frenzyThere were a record 27 jury verdicts of more than $100 million (69 million) in the US last year, research has shown.

These include the largest ever award - $145 billion against tobacco company RJ Reynolds.The National Law Journal's annual survey said there were 'hundreds' of $1 million-plus verdicts last year, with intellectual property and other business torts, such as fraud, antitrust and breach of contract, seeing dramatic rises in the level of damages.The tobacco case - covering the claims of 500,000 smokers in Florida - is being appealed after a two-year trial.

The trial judge rejected a post-trial application to set aside the jury's decision, which said the award would bankrupt the industry.The second largest verdict - $4.5 billion (3.2 million) - came in a human rights case against Bosnian Serb military leader Radovan Karadzic, although the prospects of recovering anything are very slim.Neil Rose