1. $28 billion — Bullock v. Philip Morris, Los Angeles, Oct. 4.

The plaintiff, a 64-year-old woman who had started smoking when she was 17, claimed the cigarette maker was responsible for her lung cancer that spread to her liver. The judge later reduced the award to $28 million. The plaintiff is appealing.

2. $2.2 billion — Hayes v. Courtney and Courtney Pharmacy Inc., Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 10.

The plaintiff, a 43-year-old woman with ovarian cancer, sued a pharmacist and his pharmacy for diluting her cancer medication. The pharmacist is serving a 30-year prison sentence. It is unlikely that the entire award will be collectable.

3. $270 million — Johnson v. Equitable Resources Inc., Pikeville, Ky., Oct. 17.

The plaintiff, a 42-year-old coal miner who was severely burned on the face after a gas explosion at his home in 2000, sued the gas company. On Dec. 31, the parties announced that the case had been settled for an undisclosed sum.

4. $225 million — Benavides v. Ford Motor Co., San Diego, Tex., Dec. 13.

The plaintiffs were two Texas families who sued Ford after a fatal pickup truck rollover. The suit claimed that the 1999 vehicle didn’t provide enough support for the roof and door latches. Ford said it would appeal.

5. $150 million — Schwarz v. Philip Morris, Portland, Ore., March 22.

The plaintiffs sued the cigarette maker on behalf of the estate of a woman who died at 53 after smoking low-tar cigarettes for 23 years. The wrongful death suit resulted in the first major award against “light” cigarettes. A judge reduced the award to $100 million, but Philip Morris is appealing.

6. $122 million — Jernigan v. General Motors, Union Springs, Ala., May 2.

The plaintiff was a 12-year-old boy who had been a straight A student before he suffered permanent brain damage in a head-on collision, when the passenger compartment of the Oldsmobile Delta 88 he was riding in collapsed.

7. $97.2 million — Hindelang v. BR Telephony, et al., Los Angeles, July 30.

The plaintiff claimed that two investment firms drove his company into bankruptcy. The plaintiff is appealing the trial judge’s decision to overrule the jury and enter a judgment for the defendants.

8. $94.5 million — Perez v. St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y., March 27.

The plaintiff, a pregnant woman who went into premature labor and gave birth to a baby with cerebral palsy, claimed doctors were negligent. Post-trial motions in the case are pending.

9. $91 million — Wise v. McCalla, Brooklyn, N.Y., Dec. 3.

The plaintiff, a 5-year-old girl born with cerebral palsy, claimed in her medical malpractice suit that doctors failed to realize her mother was suffering a rare condition — and may not have been in labor — when the child was delivered by Caesarian section. The hospital settled the claim for $6 million pretrial and the doctors have said they will appeal.

10. $80 million (tie) — Brenner v. Spector, et al.. Long Island, N.Y., Oct. 4.

The defendants were obstetricians at a New York hospital who delivered twins 10 weeks prematurely. One of the babies was born with cerebral palsy. The plaintiffs claimed the doctors arrived late and didn’t respond to patient complaints. The suit was settled for a confidential amount after the verdict.

10. $80 million (tie) — Peters v. General Motors, Independence, Mo., Dec. 19.

The plaintiff, a 60-year-old woman, was injured when her 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme suddenly sped backward out of her driveway, striking a tree and other objects. The jury rejected GM’s claim that the plaintiff had inadvertently hit the accelerator, thinking it was the brake. GM plans an appeal.