Merck overwhelmed with Vioxx lawsuits

According to research completed by The Associated Press, since the verdict was announced in the Carol Ernst case, the number of lawsuits has exceeded over 6,000. The vast majority of lawsuits filed is in the State of New Jersey where Merck is based. There are two benefits to filing the lawsuit there.

1. The cases can not be moved to a Federal Court that tend to anti-consumer.
2. The state has a 2-year period to sue so that victims have at least till September 2006 to file their cases.

In the meantime, foreign victims of Vioxx are also coming forward to sue the company in the United States.

Several lawyers are reported saying that the number of lawsuits is "just a drop in the bucket." According to U.S. District Court Judge Eldon Fallon who is handling the litigation the number is likely to exceed 100,000.

Related article: Germans sue Merck in the United States