LAWYER OUTLINES ATTACK ON MERCK FOR VIOXX TRIAL
June 24, 2005 07:45

Next month, Merck & Co. will face off against ATLA member Mark Lanier, a plaintiff's attorney and Baptist preacher, in a south Texas courthouse in what is expected to be the first - and one of Merck's toughest - fights defending its pain drug, Vioxx. A Merck win in this case would discourage other lawsuits against the company. A loss, however, could embolden more plaintiffs to file suit. Analysts are so unsure about the cases that estimates of Merck's Vioxx liability range from $4 billion to more than $20 billion. In Texas, the company faces two major obstacles. The Southern Gulf Coast area is viewed as a friendly courtroom venue for plaintiffs' attorneys suing big corporations. Plus, Merck is up against Mr. Lanier, an attorney who has successfully sued corporations. Already, Mr. Lanier has performed his opening remarks for the Vioxx case in front of three different focus groups, each time winning, he says.

Barbara Martinez, The Wall Street Journal, 06/24/2005 For complete story, search http://interactive.wsj.com