As deadlines near on the settlement Merck & Co. has proposed for cases related to its Vioxx painkiller, it looks highly likely enough plaintiffs will sign on to seal the deal.

Several plaintiffs' lawyers have asked the federal judge overseeing the $4.85 billion Vioxx settlement to give them the freedom to keep some of their clients outside the settlement.

On November 9th, Merck & Co. Inc. announced that they would pay $4.85 billion to settle product liability claims related to usage of Vioxx.

In September of 2004, when Merck voluntarily removed their prescription pain medication, Vioxx, from the market, Product Liability Law once again moved into the realm of everyday news.

Madison County Circuit Judge Daniel Stack may never get to decide whether Frank Schwaller will receive a new trial over his wife's death.

On Nov. 9, Merck & Co., after long insisting it would never settle the 27,000 Vioxx cases filed against it, turned an about face and agreed to a global settlement in which it will pay $4.85 billion to resolve the bulk of these cases.

Plaintiffs in litigation over the painkiller Vioxx are supposed to be able to decide whether to enroll in the übersettlement announced last week or take their cases to court.

A decision by Merck & Co. to pay $4.85 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits over its painkiller Vioxx bought accountability but little comfort for the Palm Coast woman who brought the first federal suit against the company.

A Montgomery law firm took the charge against pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co., winning a $4.85 billion settlement for thousands nationwide who took the arthritis painkiller Vioxx.

Merck vowed to fight til the death. They vowed to litigate each Vioxx case to conclusion. Apparently, that vow only applied until the statute of limitations ran on most of the cases.