We’re pleased to announce that Merck & Co. has finally agreed to settle the Vioxx claims of more than 50,000 people injured by the expensive pain drug. Matthews & Associates has spent millions of dollars, thousands of hours, and tremendous effort in litigating Vioxx claims for more than three years. We are the official “document depository” for the state of Texas and have reviewed in excess of 20 million documents. Our Vioxx staff is as well versed as any in the country in the issues pertaining to the proposed settlement.

Merck & Co. has agreed to pay $4.85 billion to settle claims filed or tolled before Nov. 8, 2007. Claims must meet the following criteria:
1.) Objective, medical proof of Myocardial Infarction (“MI” or heart attack) or ischemic stroke.
2) Use of at least 30 Vioxx pills.
3) Proof of receipt of pills in sufficient number and proximity to the event to prove Vioxx use within 14 days before the injury.

Each case will be examined by administrators of the process to determine qualification based on documented facts provided by claimants, including records sufficient for evaluating independent risk factors. Merck's payment is a fixed amount, though the exact number of claimants covered by this agreement is not yet determined. At this
stage, we have no exact information as to what your claim will be worth.

Please be patient and fill out only paperwork that we request; other actions could delay the settlement.