A national Vioxx class action lawsuit was filed against Merck & Company on behalf of people who were injured by the arthritis drug, Attorney J. Douglas Peters, a senior shareholder with Charfoos & Christensen, P.C. in Detroit, Michigan, said on Thursday in a press release.
“The Vioxx cases and the negligence surrounding Merck’s development, marketing and obfuscation of the problems associated with this drug perfectly illustrate the dangers to the public in granting immunity to manufacturers whose products are approved by the FDA,” Peters said. “Without individual lawsuits and the discovery of documents that are allowed in such lawsuits, tomorrow’s Vioxx case will go undiscovered and the public’s health will be threatened.”
The class representatives are Mrs. Maxine Bates from Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan; Mr. Harry Brooks and Mrs. Sandra Brooks from East Jordan, Charlevoix County, Michigan; and Mr. Gerald Norback and Mrs. Jean Norback from Watton, Baraga County, Michigan. Both Harry Brooks and Gerald Norback were prescribed Vioxx for pain relief never suspecting that the prescription medication would cause them to suffer heart attacks.
“This lawsuit will toll the statute of limitations for all United States citizens as of the date of filing,” Peters said. “This lawsuit is being filed to protect the rights of people injured by Vioxx so that their time limit, the statute of limitations, does not expire before they have an opportunity to see an attorney.”.
(via PR Newswire)
6 responses so far ↓
Michael Monheit, Esquire // Dec 4, 2004 at 10:56 am
This demonstrates the difficult position of having the FDA in both the role of approval and the role of monitoring. They are in a catch-22. One way they look bad for holding up drug approval, another way they look bad for letting a bad drug out, and then they look even worse when they delay the recall of what should never have been approved in the first place.
Scott Potter // Dec 10, 2004 at 8:48 pm
Father was given vioxx couple years back, I asked him if the Doc inquired about ulcers, which he had years back. Soon after I visit him and we put him in the hospital 1@1/2 pints low on blood. A few months later he becomes a CHF (congestive heart faliure) patient which he currently suffers with. Can you help?
Jim Harris, Esquire // Dec 15, 2004 at 9:35 am
I completely agree with Mr. Peters’s statements in the article. The civil justice system is designed to not only compensate victims of negligence and fraud, but to give corporations a financial incentive to behave responsibly with respect to people’s safety.
Sheila Bokenkotter // Aug 23, 2005 at 4:12 pm
House Bill 4773 proposed by Dianne Bryum, will change how Pharmaciticals are treated in Michigan. This bill will allow the people of Michigan to have their day in court. Now Pharmaciticals have a blank check (Immunity) Laws should be just for all not just special interests.
Sheila Bokenkotter // Aug 27, 2005 at 2:25 am
A grassroot movement is needed in Michigan to change the law. If you are a victim of Vioxx please contact me. I am not a lawyer.
Paulette Rogers // Dec 2, 2005 at 5:58 pm
I was taking vioxx for over 3 years and had a heart attack 2 1/2 years after starting it. I have a lawyer and I have a good case, but can’t do anything about it because of this law. I hope that our senators can change all of this for the people who have been injured.
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