There have been over 4000 cases filed against Merck over adverse cardiovascular events associated with rofecoxib.
Merck & Co. lost the first wrongful death lawsuit on August 19, 2005, when a jury in Texas found the company liable for the death of Robert Ernst, a 59-year-old man who allegedly died of a Vioxx-induced heart attack that led to fatal arrhythmia. Merck claimed the death was due to clogged arteries rather and Vioxx was not responsible. The jury awarded Carol, widow of Robert Ernst, USD$253.4 million in damages but this will likely be cut to no more than USD$26.1 million due to the cap on punitive damages under Texan law.
-Courtesy of wikipedia
The attorney representing the plaintiff said that the money awarded in the case was, “the money Merck made by putting off the necessary changes to Vioxx labeling,” that would have informed consumers about the medication's risks. The attorney didn't expect nearly the amount rewarded, which was decided ten to two by the Texas Jury.
Rofecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that was used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, acute pain conditions, and dysmenorrhoea. Formerly marketed by Merck & Co. under the trade names Vioxx, Ceoxx and Ceeoxx, it was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in 2004 because of concerns about increased risk of heart attack and stroke.