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Subscribe To Our Syndicated News$51 Million Verdict in Latest Vioxx Trial
$51 Million Verdict in Latest Vioxx Trial
August 18, 2006
Merck lost another Vioxx case yesterday after a jury ruled in favor of a former FBI agent who suffered a heart attack in 2002 as a result of taking the defective drug.
The jury decided that Merck was liable for Gerald Barnett's heart attack and also that the company misrepresented the safety of Vioxx. Barnett was awarded $51 million in damages, including $1 million in punitive damages.
This case marks Merck's fourth loss in the nine cases that have thus far gone to trial. The company, which plans to try each of the 16,000 Vioxx lawsuits it faces separately, has set aside $1 billion for legal expenses but nothing for liabilities.
Vioxx was pulled from the market in 2004 after evidence surfaced linking the popular painkiller to an increased risk of strokes and heart attacks. Since that time, Merck has been at the center of controversy surrounding the safety of Vioxx.
The pharmaceutical giant claimed that Vioxx only increased cardiovascular risks after long-term use. However, recent evidence has shown that Vioxx increases the risk of heart attack early on - sometimes within weeks.
Injured by Vioxx? Please contact us to learn more about filing a Vioxx lawsuit.
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