In the first of thousands of Vioxx lawsuits to go to trial, a Texas jury on Friday found Merck and Co. liable for the death of man taking its arthritis drug Vioxx and awarded his widow $253.5 million.

The jury awarded Mr. Robert Ernest’s widow Carol $24.5 million for mental anguish and loss of companionship and $229 million in punitive damages.

Merck said it intends to appeal the verdict.

“Friday’s verdict in Texas was a disappointment to all of us at Merck because we know we acted responsibly,” Merck said in a statement. “The case presented to the jury by the plaintiff was fundamentally flawed. The jury was allowed to hear testimony that was not based on reliable science and that was irrelevant.”

Merck pulled Vioxx from the market in September 2004 after a study confirmed that it increases a patients’ risk of heart attack and stroke after 18 months of use.

More than 4,000 Vioxx lawsuits have been filed against Merck.

(via Business Wire)