Judge Sets Court Date for First MDL Vioxx Lawsuit to Go to Trial

Irvin Plunkett v. Merck & Co, Inc., to go to trial among cases pending in the federal Vioxx in New Orleans will begin on November 28, 2005. The announcement was made by Judge Eldon E. Fallon of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, who is presiding over the Vioxx Multi-district Litigation (MDL).

Beasley Allen Calls for Full Disclosure of Confidential Vioxx Documents

Jere Beasley, founding shareholder at the law firm taking the first Vioxx lawsuit to trial in May, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C, called upon Merck to join him in asking Judge Rochester to lift a protective order which prohibits the release of protected information regarding the drug's dangers

Court Rules against Merck in Attempt to Dismiss First Vioxx Lawsuit to go to Trial

Merck had asked the Court to dismiss the lawsuit, contending that Mr. Rogers, who died of a heart attack after being prescribed Vioxx, never took the drug. Lawyers for Beasley Allen disputed Merck's claims and said that they had evidence that Mr. Rogers took Vioxx before he died.

Beasley Allen Law Firm Files Motion for Sanctions against Merck in Vioxx Lawsuit

"Merck provided depositions of Mrs. Rogers and Dr. William Clancy, who treated her husband, to local and national press on April 12, in violation of the court's protective order. In fact, one reporter had the documents on this date apparently before it was even filed in court."

Beasley Allen rejects Mercks attempt to dismiss the First Vioxx Lawsuit

"Merck is thumbing it's nose at the justice system, and trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat by questioning the veracity of Cheryl Rogers whose husband, Howard, died at age 42 as a direct result of taking Vioxx."

Beasley Allen Says Bextra Recall May be Too Late for Thousands

Law firm Beasley Allen, lead counsel for the first Vioxx lawsuit set for May, believes that Pfizer's Bextra, a COX-2 inhibitor, posed a dual danger to thousands of consumers before its withdrawal last week.

Beasley Allen Law Firm Leads National COX-2 Litigation

One of the most popular in the COX-2 class, Vioxx - used by tens of millions of people worldwide - was pulled off the market last October. This decision came shortly after medical conference where FDA researcher David Graham showed higher doses of Vioxx correlated with a tripled risk of heart attack or sudden cardiac death compared to people who weren't taking any similar drug.

Beasley Allen Attorney Andy Birchfield Named Co-lead Counsel for Vioxx lawsuits

In a pretrial order issued today, Judge Fallon of the United States District Court in Louisiana appointed Mr. Birchfield of Beasley Allen as co-lead counsel with regard to pending Vioxx products liability litigation.

Beasley Allen Believes Bextra Recall was Long Overdue

Pfizer (the manufacturer of Celebrex and Bextra) suspended sales of their arthritis drug, Bextra, following a recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unfortunately, this move may have come too late for thousands of people that have suffered a heart attack or stroke while taking this medication.

Alfa found guilty of insurance fraud

Today, an Escambia County jury returned a $500,000 verdict against Alfa Mutual Insurance Company for fraud. Willie Hudson and his companion, Betty Jo Phillips, accused Alfa and its agent, Allen Walston, of misrepresenting information contained on Mr. Hudson's application for a farm owners/homeowners insurance policy.