Pfizer’s recent $894 million settlement of pending Bextra and Celebrex lawsuits addresses thousands of affected consumers and their families. Some have declared that this amount is not nearly enough to do either of the things such an award is potential intended for: compensate victims and punish wrongdoers. Others, however, including attorneys representing Pfizer as well as attorneys for the defendants, have called the deal a success for all involved.

When dealing with people’s lives, including injuries and deaths resulting from correct use of a faulty drug, it is extremely difficult to answer questions of wrongs righted. It is unlikely that any of us could pick a dollar amount, however high, and say that we honestly felt that the death of our loved one had been rectified. So it likely is for many of the plaintiffs in this case.

And yet, within the civil legal system, this can be considered a victory. If not for the vehicle of personal injury law and class-action litigation how could any of these individuals have won justice? It is possible for a David to defeat a Goliath, but in the real world a more useful adage is “strength in numbers.”

When a product, especially a pharamecutical, which will be consumed or ingested and trusted to heal, turns out to be harmful, a common first reaction is disbelief. This shows how strongly we believe in the medical system, drawing from experiences in seeing miracles granted daily and ever-advancing technology. A common second reaction is wonder over how to respond, how to react, how to proceed from the small bottle of pills and the pain they have caused toward justice. Personal injury law is that course of action.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury, illness or death after exposure to a dangerous pharmaceutical, call VanDerGinst Law at 1-866-843-7367 or click here for a FREE online case evaluation. The initial consultation is free of charge. If we agree to handle your injury case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if, and when, there is a money recovery for you. In many cases a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. So please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.

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Today, Merck & Co. announced that a Texas appeals court has ruled in their favor, overturning what had been a $32 million lawsuit. The suit had been brought by the widow of a 71-year-old man who died of a heart attack after taking Merck’s since recalled drug, VIOXX.

As Merck represents it, today’s appeal is a sign of success. They site 12 juries that have ruled in favor of the company, and five juries that have ruled in favor of the plaintiff. But in reality, these twelve so-called victories are vastly overshadowed by the thousands of families involved in class action VIOXX lawsuits, which Merck is expected to settle for $4.85 billion. (more…)

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