NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--A lawyer representing a number of people suing Merck (MRK) described the verdict returned Friday against the company in a Texas case as "a very important day for the victims of Vioxx."

LOS ANGELES,-Aug 19-(Reuters)~Merck & Co. Inc. could-face years of litigation and billions in damages, putting its stock price under pressure after a Texas jury found the company liable in the death of a man taking its painkiller Vioxx.

A Texas jury dealt a painful blow, finding the drug maker liable for a Vioxx patient’s death and slapping it with $253 million in damages. With about 4,200 more Vioxx lawsuits to go, the verdict was an ominous start for Merck.

Merck & Co., could face years of litigation and billions in damages, putting its stock price under pressure after a Texas jury found the company liable in the death of a man taking its painkiller Vioxx.

A lawyer representing a number of people suing Merck described the verdict returned Friday against the company in a Texas case as "a very important day for the victims of Vioxx."

A lawsuit filed by the widow of a Florida businessman has been chosen as the first Vioxx case to go to trial among nearly 2,000 cases pending in the federal Vioxx multi-district litigation (MDL).

A lawsuit filed by the widow of a Florida businessman has been chosen as the first Vioxx case to go to trial among nearly 2,000 cases pending in the federal Vioxx multi-district litigation (MDL).

The legal team at Merck doesn't like the "s" word -- as in settlement.

NEW ORLEANS - The first of what could be many federal trials concerning Merck's withdrawn painkiller Vioxx will deal with the fatal heart attack of a 53-year-old Florida man.

The first case among those pending in the federal Vioxx multi-district litigation against drugmaker Merck & Co. will start on November 28, 2005.