In the first personal injury case to come to trial involving the drug Vioxx, a injury determined that Merck & Co., makers of the painkiller, must pay more than $253 million to the family of the Texas man who died after taking this drug.
Jurors awarded $24.4 million in actual damages and $229 million in punitive damages to the family of Robert Ernst.
The Ernst family's lawyers successfully argued that Merck rushed Vioxx to market without proper safety testing and played down the drug's potential for causing heart attacks and strokes.
Howard A. Raphaelson stated that "Merck placed profits before safety. The Raphaelson Law Firm is working hard to ensure that Big Businesses do not further victimize society simply to make a quick buck."
If you or your loved one has taken Vioxx contact the Raphaelson Law Firm immediately. Your health and safety is our number one priority.