A New Jersey judge upheld a $13.5 million verdict against drugmaker Merck & Co., won by a couple who sued over injuries the man sustained after he took the company’s Vioxx painkiller.
The Aug. 7 ruling by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Carol Higbee denied Merck’s request for a new trial or a reduction in the damages, which included the jury’s punitive award of $9 million. Higbee also awarded the couple $2 million in attorney fees and costs plus $2,552 per day in interest.
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John and Irma McDarby sued Whitehouse Station, New Jersey- based Merck in 2005 after John McDarby, who used Vioxx for four years, suffered a heart attack. Their suit is one of more than 10,000 filed against the company.
Merck withdrew Vioxx from the market in 2004 after a study showed it doubled the risk of a heart attack in patients after 18 months of use.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to a dangerous product, please call Keating, O’Gara, Nedved & Peter at 888/234-0621 or fill out the contact form on this site. Your first consultation is free and we handle cases on a contingency fee basis.
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