Vioxx Settlement

GENERAL INFORMATION

Hollis, Wright & Harrington, P.C. represents hundreds of Vioxx clients throughout the United States. If you are a client of the firm, you have already received correspondence letting you know we are working to have your claim processed. Your participation in the national settlement, or decision not to participate in such settlement, should be based on access to all the information available. This webpage, the Official Vioxx Settlement website, and correspondence and consultation with our office, will assist you in gathering the information you need in the coming months.

It is important during this time that you pay close attention to all correspondence and documents you receive from our office. Critical information will be sent to you in the coming months. Make sure you follow the directions provided carefully and return information under the timeframes we set. In addition, if you move or change numbers or addresses, call us toll free and let us know. We can be reached at 877-324-3600. Do not lose touch with our office at this critical time.

As always, you can contact our office if you have questions about your claim. We return phone calls and are happy to keep you updated as we both move through this process together. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT

You need to educate yourself about the settlement terms. You can easily do so by visiting the Official Vioxx Settlement website, which can be found by clicking on the following link: www.officialvioxxsettlement.com.

You can calculate, in general terms only, what type of claim you may have. Visit this calculator to assist you: www.officialvioxxsettlement.com/calculator.

PRESS RELEASE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAWSUIT

Merck Settles Thousands of Vioxx Claims for $4.85 Billion

For Immediate Release

Merck & Co., Inc. has agreed to pay $4.85 billion to resolve Vioxx-related claims in which a claimant has suffered a heart attack, sudden cardiac death, or stroke.

The litigation involving product liability claims related to the pain reliever, Vioxx, has been ongoing for over five years. It is estimated that thousands of personal injury lawsuits have been filed. Discovery has been ongoing in consolidated cases throughout the country since 2001. Over 50 million pages of documents have been produced and reviewed. More than 2005 general depositions have been taken thus far. Thousands of motions have been filed and considered. Hundreds of experts in cardiology, pharmacology, neurology and other disciplines have been consulted. Moreover, over 19 trials have taken place between August 2005 and September 2007 with mixed results, including defense verdicts, plaintiff's verdicts, hung juries, and retrials.

More than 11 months ago in December 2006, Judge Eldon E. Fallon of the Federal Court in New Orleans in consultation with coordinating Judges Victoria Cheney of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Carol Higbee of the New Jersey Superior Court and Judge Randy Wilson of the Harris County, Texas District Court directed Merck and Plaintiffs to begin continuous and frequent confidential negotiations.

For Plaintiffs, the Judges appointed a six-member negotiating committee which included representatives from each coordinating state, the MDL Executive Committee and a member of the MDL Steering Committee at large.

Merck designated a like number of negotiators, and the two groups were directed to seek a potential resolution of filed and tolled cases in which folks alleged that they or loved ones had suffered heart attacks, ischemic strokes or sudden cardiac death as a result of Vioxx ingestion.

Negotiating teams met in more than 50 sessions in New Orleans, Montgomery, Washington D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Houston. Several hundred phone conferences augmented face-to-face negotiations.

The coordinating Judges, during frequently scheduled meetings and phone calls, monitored the progress of the negotiations while at the same time managing dockets of thousands of cases.

From the plaintiffs' perspective many lawyers who were involved in conducting discovery about Vioxx, developing the science liability case, and trying cases before juries demonstrated great tenacity and excellence in their efforts to secure compensation for plaintiffs who suffered injuries which we believe are a result of Vioxx.

The resulting $4.85 billion resolution is a resolution which was hard-fought and portended risks for all parties. In light of significant costs and delay that would result in protracted litigation, the Settlement Program will ensure that those who suffered injuries as a result of Vioxx are compensated fairly and efficiently.