Humeston v. Merck

Summary

Pharmaceutical product liability trial against Merck for the painkiller drug Vioxx held in New Jersey September 2005.

Plantiffs granted a retrial in 2006.

Outcome

Found for the Defendant.

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Humeston, Frederick
Defense: Merck & Co

Judge: Carol Higbee
Jurisdiction: New Jersey Superior Court, Atlantic County
Court: Atlantic County Civil Courthouse

Case Number: L-2272-03
Industry: Pharmaceutical
Practice Area: Products Liability

Plaintiff

Humeston, Frederick

Defense

Merck & Co

Represented By:
Sullivan, Diane (Dechert LLP)
Jones, Christy (Butler Snow LLP)
Freiwald, Hope (Dechert LLP)
Raber, Stephen (Williams & Connolly LLP)

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

PM Session

Openings

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:35:30	Opening Statement	Sullivan, Diane

AM Session

Openings

2 Chapters

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
01:26:50	General Case Activities
01:47:05	Witness Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
02:09:10	General Case Activities
02:12:24	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
02:33:30	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
02:35:12	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
02:35:20	General Case Activities
02:43:09	General Case Activities		Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

3 Chapters

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:12	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
00:39:16	Break
01:15:16	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
02:10:24	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:15	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
00:35:25	General Case Activities
00:37:04	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
00:44:56	End of Session

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:10	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
00:01:40	General Case Activities
00:05:24	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
01:30:53	Break
02:02:20	General Case Activities
02:18:50	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
03:00:30	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
00:01:38	General Case Activities
00:04:40	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
01:04:50	General Case Activities
01:10:50	Break
01:37:55	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
02:06:20	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
02:14:10	General Case Activities
02:16:57	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

14 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

16 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Kronmal, Dr. Richard	In Person
00:16:30	General Case Activities
00:18:30	Witness Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Kronmal, Dr. Richard	In Person
00:24:28	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Buchanan, David	Kronmal, Dr. Richard	In Person
00:43:45	General Case Activities
00:45:35	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Buchanan, David	Kronmal, Dr. Richard	In Person
01:18:40	Break
01:39:23	General Case Activities
02:01:08	Break
02:43:18	General Case Activities
02:44:19	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
02:57:42	General Case Activities
03:00:53	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
03:15:14	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
03:19:25	End of Session
03:19:54	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
00:21:33	General Case Activities
00:23:20	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
01:02:20	General Case Activities
01:03:19	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
01:24:40	Break

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
00:25:50	General Case Activities
00:27:08	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
00:41:30	General Case Activities

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination		Scolnick, Dr. Edward	Video Recording

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Humeston, Frederick Michael	In Person
01:28:08	Break
01:52:43	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Humeston, Frederick Michael	In Person
02:31:35	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Humeston, Frederick Michael	In Person
02:53:30	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Humeston, Frederick Michael	In Person
02:56:40	General Case Activities
03:04:00	General Case Activities		Humeston, Frederick Michael	In Person

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

3 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:12	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Humeston, Frederick Michael	In Person
01:20:30	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Humeston, Frederick Michael	In Person
01:40:00	End of Session

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

3 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
01:04:45	Break
01:29:38	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

1 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:11	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Sims, Dr. Charles	Video Recording

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Sims, Dr. Charles	Video Recording
00:26:00	Break
01:09:17	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Sims, Dr. Charles	Video Recording
01:13:38	Witness Direct Examination	Horn, Moshe	Humeston, Seth	In Person
01:31:27	General Case Activities
01:55:30	End of Session

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:12	Witness Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
00:58:40	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
01:25:40	Break
01:53:19	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
02:05:30	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
02:29:06	General Case Activities
02:44:48	General Case Activities		Tapachi, Dr.	In Person

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:01	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
01:07:42	Break
01:37:31	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
01:48:33	General Case Activities
01:55:11	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
01:55:52	Break
02:03:43	Witness Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tapachi, Dr.	In Person
03:00:37	End of Session

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:10	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Weatherly, Dr.	Video Recording
00:40:29	Witness Cross Examination	Freiwald, Hope	Weatherly, Dr.	In Person
01:15:05	General Case Activities
01:27:15	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Humeston, Mary	In Person
		00:31:35	End of Session

OCT

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

11 Chapters

AM Session

Judge Motion Ruling

3 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
00:11:18	General Case Activities		Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
00:37:00	End of Session

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

AM Session

Judge Motion Ruling

2 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

10 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:11	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
00:58:45	Break
01:13:10	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:22:11	General Case Activities
01:24:52	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:31:58	General Case Activities
01:34:45	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
02:08:52	Break
02:20:53	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
03:03:35	End of Session

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:07	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
00:55:07	Break
01:24:12	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:59:55	General Case Activities
02:00:54	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
02:05:20	General Case Activities
02:06:48	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
02:07:40	End of Session

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:10	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Scholnik, Dr. Edward	Video Recording
01:02:09	General Case Activities
01:10:03	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Scholnik, Dr. Edward	Video Recording
01:21:01	End of Session

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

9 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:11	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
00:53:18	General Case Activities
00:54:51	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:00:23	Break
01:22:21	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:36:23	General Case Activities
01:38:46	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

13 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:10	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
00:17:45	General Case Activities
00:21:36	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
00:25:31	General Case Activities
00:26:16	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
00:43:37	General Case Activities
00:48:36	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:21:29	General Case Activities
01:41:17	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:53:41	General Case Activities
01:56:46	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
02:03:27	General Case Activities
02:15:30	General Case Activities		Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:09	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:11:22	Break
01:36:27	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:44:22	Break
01:46:44	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

11 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:12	Witness Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
00:14:32	Break
00:33:17	Witness Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
00:36:27	General Case Activities
01:03:29	Witness Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
01:23:13	General Case Activities
01:43:50	Witness Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
02:22:57	General Case Activities
02:23:57	Witness Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
02:27:22	Witness Cross Examination	Horn, Moshe	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
02:37:15	End of Session

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:11	Witness Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
00:21:52	General Case Activities
00:37:12	Witness Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
01:21:24	Break
01:42:59	Witness Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
02:42:22	End of Session

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:10	Witness Cross Examination	Horn, Moshe	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
00:53:01	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
00:53:56	Break
01:24:01	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
01:38:41	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Horn, Moshe	Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person
01:40:31	General Case Activities
01:49:11	General Case Activities		Tyberg, Dr. Theodore MD	In Person

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

21 Chapters

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

15 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

14 Chapters

PM Session

Not in Session

0 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

5 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Other

2 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

9 Chapters

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Closings

3 Chapters

AM Session

Closings

4 Chapters

OCT

PM Session

Other

4 Chapters

AM Session

Closings

5 Chapters

NOV

AM Session

Verdict

2 Chapters

NOV

Humeston v. Merck

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:09:35	Opening Statement	Seeger, Christopher

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:41:35	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
01:53:20	Witness Cross Examination	Sullivan, Diane	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:07:17	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:06:17	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:04:55	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
00:56:08	General Case Activities
01:06:15	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person
01:57:20	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Lucchesi, Benedict	In Person

	Description	Attorney	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:05:25	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Video Recording
00:39:30	General Case Activities
00:45:20	Break
00:59:07	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Video Recording
02:34:37	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:05:45	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
00:28:30	General Case Activities
00:30:43	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
01:25:40	General Case Activities

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:18:10	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
01:33:10	Break
01:51:45	General Case Activities
01:55:50	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
02:41:58	Witness Cross Examination	Raber, Stephen	Anstice, Mr. David	In Person
03:03:47	General Case Activities

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:50	Witness Direct Examination	Buchanan, David	Humeston, Mary	In Person
00:51:20	Break
01:04:20	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Humeston, Mary	In Person
01:22:10	Break
01:52:40	General Case Activities
01:55:48	General Case Activities		Humeston, Mary	In Person
02:01:30	General Case Activities

	Description	Attorney	Presence
00:00:29	General Case Activities
00:01:30	Witness Direct Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Video Recording
00:47:30	Break
02:40:57	General Case Activities
03:33:25	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:22:15	Break
00:40:00	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
00:45:09	General Case Activities
00:48:38	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
01:08:28	General Case Activities
01:10:22	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
01:40:40	Break
02:03:23	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person
02:16:25	General Case Activities
02:20:50	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Morrison, Dr. Briggs	In Person

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:10:03	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Neez, Allen	Video Recording
01:08:00	Break
01:21:50	General Case Activities
01:23:20	Witness Direct Examination	Raber, Stephen	Neez, Allen	Video Recording
01:25:10	Witness Cross Examination	Seeger, Christopher	Neez, Allen	Video Recording
01:29:20	General Case Activities
01:34:00	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:02:15	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
00:56:35	Break
01:12:50	General Case Activities
01:15:13	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:35:55	General Case Activities
01:36:42	Witness Cross Examination	Buchanan, David	Reicin, Dr. Alise	In Person
01:44:18	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:11	Closing Statement	Sullivan, Diane
00:35:25	General Case Activities
01:12:13	End of Session