Merck guilty in Vioxx trial
From the Brownsville Herald:RIO GRANDE CITY, April 22, 2006 — Starr County jurors returned a $32 million verdict against Merck & Co. in the nation’s sixth Vioxx trial.
After deliberating for more than eight hours, jurors declared Merck liable for the fatal heart attack of Leonel Garza, 71, on the fifth anniversary of his April 21, 2001 death. They awarded $25 million in punitive damages and $7 million in actual damages to his widow, Felicia, and the couple’s three grown sons.
The family had asked for $1 billion in punitive damages — designated as punishment to the New Jersey pharmaceutical company — and $22 million for actual damages — seen as compensation for economic loss and anguish.
Garza, a retired army sergeant from Rio Grande City, died after taking Merck’s painkiller, Vioxx, to treat arm pain for a little more than a month.
For more on Merck and Vioxx see Vioxx Lawyers.
posted by nattietodd @ 5:20 AM
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