Lawsuit Abuse: ; State Needs to Change Jackpot Justice Culture

Summary

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THERE has been a lot of talk lately about a $253.4 million jury verdict against Merck & Co., the manufacturer of the drug Vioxx. A recent letter to the editor hailed the jury verdict as proper punishment for a wrongdoer. The Charleston Gazette disagreed, calling the decision an illustration of "the jackpot nature of America's litigation system." One thing is for sure: The $253.4 million verdict could be a preview of coming attractions in West Virginia.

When asked how to prepare a "Vioxx-style" case, the wealthy personal injury lawyer who obtained the $253.4 million verdict against Merck had a simple answer: "Figure out where to file cases...Just figure out where best to file it." In other words, file the case in a plaintiff-friendly court.

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Extract

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Lawsuit Abuse: ; State Needs to Change Jackpot Justice Culture

This is bad news for West Virginia. For the past several years, West Virginia has been...

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