In Re: Fosamax

Summary

Rosenberg v. Merck will be the fourth FOSAMAX trial, and the first in state court. The prior three trials, in federal court, resulted in two defense verdicts and a plaintiff verdict.

In this product liability litigation proceeding, plaintiff Alison Rosenberg alleged Merck & Company Inc. of fraudulent concealment of the risk associated with its drug FOSAMAX due to which she suffered jaw related problems. Merck claimed that Ms. Rosenberg's jaw-related problems resulted from other health problems and medications.

Alendronate Sodium, sold by Merck under the brand name "FOSAMAX" since 1995, is an osteoporosis treatment for postmenopausal women. Some studies have shown that oral bisphosphonates, including Fosamax, may increase the result of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), or bone death.

The plaintiff was represented by attorney J. Paul Sizemore. The defendant in this case, Merck and Co was represented by attorney Christy Jones.

The jury concluded that Ms. Rosenberg did not suffer from osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), and therefore she failed to show that Fosamax caused the harm.

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Outcome

Jury found for the Defense.

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Rosenberg, Alison
Defense: Merck & Co

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

Case Number: No. 282
Industry: Pharmaceutical
Practice Area: Products Liability, Pharmaceuticals, Negligence, Tort Law, Toxic Torts

Plaintiff

Rosenberg, Alison

Represented By:
Sizemore, J. Paul (Sizemore Law Firm)

Defense

Merck & Co

Represented By:
Jones, Christy (Butler Snow LLP)

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

AM Session

Openings

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities		In Person
00:11:02	Opening Statement	Sizemore, J. Paul	In Person
00:54:29	Break
01:06:07	Opening Statement	Jones, Christy	In Person
02:18:01	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Somers, Dr. Deborah MD	In Person
00:51:42	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Somers, Dr. Deborah MD	In Person
01:19:28	Break
01:42:46	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Somers, Dr. Deborah MD	In Person
02:27:29	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Somers, Dr. Deborah MD	In Person
02:33:27	Break
02:40:21	General Case Activities		Somers, Dr. Deborah MD	In Person
02:44:40	End of Session

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Furberg, Dr. Curt	Video Recording
01:20:45	Break
01:47:16	Witness Cross Examination	Marshall, Steve	Furberg, Dr. Curt	Video Recording
02:26:51	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Marshall, Steve	Furberg, Dr. Curt	Video Recording
00:54:01	Witness Re-Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Furberg, Dr. Curt	Video Recording
01:25:46	Break
01:52:24	Witness Direct Examination	Nitkewicz, Edward	Rosenberg, Herbert	In Person
02:21:30	Witness Cross Examination	Muskitt, Eileen	Rosenberg, Herbert	In Person
02:30:35	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Nitkewicz, Edward	Rosenberg, Herbert	In Person
02:35:20	End of Session

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	McWilliams, Ned	Counihan, Patrick	Video Recording
01:07:54	Break
01:43:56	Witness Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Kimmel, Dr. Donald DDS, PhD	Video Recording
02:50:19	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Kimmel, Dr. Donald DDS, PhD	Video Recording
		00:07:41	End of Session

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	McCormick, Meghan	Parisian, Dr. Suzanne MD	In Person
00:36:53	Break
01:10:15	Witness Direct Examination	McCormick, Meghan	Parisian, Dr. Suzanne MD	In Person
01:59:28	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	McCormick, Meghan	Parisian, Dr. Suzanne MD	In Person
00:10:14	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Parisian, Dr. Suzanne MD	In Person
00:47:19	Break
01:10:50	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Parisian, Dr. Suzanne MD	In Person
01:54:13	Witness Re-Direct Examination	McCormick, Meghan	Parisian, Dr. Suzanne MD	In Person
01:58:45	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Parisian, Dr. Suzanne MD	In Person
02:02:15	End of Session

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Bold, Dr. Thomas	Video Recording
00:13:36	Witness Direct Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Funt, Dr. Mark	In Person
01:43:06	Break
02:16:35	Witness Cross Examination	Muskitt, Eileen	Funt, Dr. Mark	In Person
03:37:30	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Funt, Dr. Mark	In Person
00:29:07	Witness Direct Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Sollecito, Dr. Thomas DMD	In Person
01:36:53	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Sollecito, Dr. Thomas DMD	In Person
01:59:44	Break
02:26:57	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Sollecito, Dr. Thomas DMD	In Person
02:37:36	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Sollecito, Dr. Thomas DMD	In Person
02:43:19	General Case Activities		Sollecito, Dr. Thomas DMD	In Person
02:50:21	End of Session

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	Video Recording
		01:48:15	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Goss, Prof. Alastair	Video Recording
00:40:09	Witness Cross Examination	Thompson, Craig	Goss, Prof. Alastair	Video Recording
01:43:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Goss, Prof. Alastair	Video Recording
01:45:12	End of Session

JAN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

3 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Rosenberg, Mrs. Alison	In Person
00:03:05	Witness Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Rosenberg, Mrs. Alison	In Person
01:16:38	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Rosenberg, Mrs. Alison	In Person
01:23:19	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Jones, Christy	Rosenberg, Mrs. Alison	In Person
01:25:36	Break
01:37:30	General Case Activities		Rosenberg, Mrs. Alison	In Person
01:42:41	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Goldberg, Dr. Michael MD	Video Recording
01:35:53	Break
02:12:01	Witness Direct Examination	O'Brien, Timothy	Goldberg, Dr. Michael MD	Video Recording
03:00:16	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Gruber, Dr. Barry MD	In Person
		01:40:20	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Gruber, Dr. Barry MD	In Person
00:43:12	Break		Gruber, Dr. Barry MD	In Person
00:56:36	Witness Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Gruber, Dr. Barry MD	In Person
02:14:55	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Gruber, Dr. Barry MD	In Person
00:06:54	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Gruber, Dr. Barry MD	In Person
00:34:05	Witness Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
02:00:37	Break
02:28:44	Witness Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
03:05:51	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
01:05:29	Break
01:47:38	Witness Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
02:04:10	Witness Cross Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
03:07:10	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
01:07:58	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Jones, Christy	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
01:32:30	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
01:37:29	Break
01:56:01	General Case Activities		Santora, Dr. Arthur MD	In Person
02:12:19	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Muskitt, Eileen	Ward, Dr. Brent MD, DDS	In Person
02:00:27	Break
02:35:08	Witness Direct Examination	Muskitt, Eileen	Ward, Dr. Brent MD, DDS	In Person
02:50:31	Witness Cross Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Ward, Dr. Brent MD, DDS	In Person
03:19:29	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Ward, Dr. Brent MD, DDS	In Person
01:08:20	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Muskitt, Eileen	Ward, Dr. Brent MD, DDS	In Person
01:51:56	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Sizemore, J. Paul	Ward, Dr. Brent MD, DDS	In Person
02:00:53	Break
02:10:35	General Case Activities		Ward, Dr. Brent MD, DDS	In Person
02:19:32	End of Session

FEB

AM Session

Closings

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Closing Statement	Jones, Christy		In Person
		01:38:05	End of Session			In Person

PM Session

Closings

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Closing Statement	Sizemore, J. Paul		In Person
		01:13:16	End of Session			In Person

FEB

AM Session

Other

2 Chapters

FEB

AM Session

Verdict

2 Chapters

FEB

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

In Re: Fosamax

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	Reading of the Verdict			In Person
		00:03:14	End of Session			In Person