Merck to fund Vioxx settlement in August

[almost over]

The large amount of money that I and several other plaintiffs paid for expenses was to cover the costs that were not covered by the common benefit in their entirety. Each plaintiff had to share these costs. I have a call into a lawyer that is supposed to answer my question concerning this additionl expense. I hope it is not a crying in their beer answer.

[Confused Hoosier]

STRESSED IN ALASKA wrote:

<quoted text>
PLEASE Someone HELPPPPPP ME
My lawyer is trying to charge me 10,000.00 on top of his 32% for expenses,saying after
everyone got paid I MAY get a refund. He is was trying to obtain the 40% the Judge said he could not have, and thinks he found a way around it by labeling it SHARED COSTS. Will someone please PLEASE give me the number to the Judge and tell me what to do. I am so shocked when I read that you said 1700. was to much I almost fell thru the floor. I have not signed my statement yet and I have waited 8 years so a little longer will not hurt to make sure this CROOK of a lawyer does not get what is RIGHTFULLY MINE. HELP.....
(Excuse the typing I am so MAD)

I think we might have the same firm could it be in CA ?? LA to be exact ??

[Confused Hoosier]

On all who have this extra " shared cost " could it be in your paper work they explain it like this

They go onto to say in the letter that the shared costs are costs they have expended that have
benefitted all of there clients. These costs include, but are not limited to, filing fees, court
appearances, medical review, postage and copying. And that the costs were then calculated and the
total amount was divided among the total number of there clients who recovered an award under
the settlement.

I contacted Jen at BG yesterday she said she was hearing from this " shared cost " at such a high sum for the first time.
I sent her via mail my paper work and she wanted to ask the people at BG whats up with this and get back with me i hope today you can find her mail on the BG web site under Claims Administrator ( and the Tel. Nr.)

[CAL]

GARARD AND KEESE ?

[Confused Hoosier]

Khorrami Pollard & Abir

[concerned]

All of you report it to Jenn Goodwin at BrownGreer and hope for the best. Judge Fallon capped legal fees at 32% and that is the rule!

[Mike]

Regardless of the amount of the original agreement between you and your attorney, Judge Fallon capped the attorney fees at 32%. He then authorized an additional payment of 1% to the Common Benefit Cost. Your attorney is ordered to pay 8% of your total to the Common Benefit Litigation Attornies, out of HIS fees. Most show this in the recap sheet as 24% for attorney fees and 8% for CBL, which is still the original 32%. Then they add on the 1% Court Ordered benefit cost. The only thing left to charge is your office's specific expenses (such as filing fees, notary fees, etc). If they are charging you 10k for that final item, it seems to be very excessive. In my case, my lawyer's expenses were in the hundreds, not thousands. You should look at exactly what that 10k was supposed to cover.

[Jerimiah]

willyp46 wrote:

JERIMIH ....... what troubles did you receive from your MI ? I had a IS and passed gates in Feb but still haven't heard about points. They really try to low ball you. I was made disable due to my stroke.

They tried to stick me with obesity, excess smoling, Hypertension,+ plus a couple legit things.(Cholesterol mainly) With all that, they took away another large chunk becouse of combined problems.(Excess smoking AND obesity)

I got them all (cept for regular smoking and cholesterol) taken off. Some how they had me at 5'8", Im over 6'. 30+ years smoking a pack a day and my MI was at 43 years old?(Thats a bad habit at 13!!! LOL)

[concerned]

Jerimaih - I hope you are trying to quit smoking. The next MI may be it for you. You are to young to be a MI victim and you won't be able to blame any one else next time. Get the patch!! Please
We have to learn from this and take better care of our selves.

[almost over]

Mike wrote:

Regardless of the amount of the original agreement between you and your attorney, Judge Fallon capped the attorney fees at 32%. He then authorized an additional payment of 1% to the Common Benefit Cost. Your attorney is ordered to pay 8% of your total to the Common Benefit Litigation Attornies, out of HIS fees. Most show this in the recap sheet as 24% for attorney fees and 8% for CBL, which is still the original 32%. Then they add on the 1% Court Ordered benefit cost. The only thing left to charge is your office's specific expenses (such as filing fees, notary fees, etc). If they are charging you 10k for that final item, it seems to be very excessive. In my case, my lawyer's expenses were in the hundreds, not thousands. You should look at exactly what that 10k was supposed to cover.

MY expenses total was a very small amount but when thay added the expense called allocation of expenses to plaintiffs they went out of sight. The law firm sent me an email at my request. They tried to justify this additional expense with a lot of double talk. I don't buy their explanation. I have started to go over their heads to see if Judge Fallon will allow my law firm this additional expense out of my settlement. If anyone else had this expense I would advise you to start complaining to the people in high places not your law firm.

[concerned]

It always helps to ask you own law firm for an explanation first. You want to have all the correct info when you pursue it further. Then go to the judge with their response.
Let us all know what happens!

[jman]

hope everything is well for you all today and hopefully more checks monday take care all im still here for you

[Jerimiah]

concerned wrote:

Jerimaih - I hope you are trying to quit smoking. The next MI may be it for you. You are to young to be a MI victim and you won't be able to blame any one else next time. Get the patch!! Please
We have to learn from this and take better care of our selves.

I had one third of a cigarette after I got out of the hospital in 1999. Got so sick and dizzy I thought I was gonna die!(Worse than the heart attack!) Best cig in my life. Every time I want one, I just think back to that and the urge goes away, FAR FAR away! Just celebrated 10 years non smoking last month.

I do agree with you, I am not one of those rabid antismokers, like some, but I think every one would be better off quitting.(Cept the tobbacco growers)

[almost over]

concerned wrote:

It always helps to ask you own law firm for an explanation first. You want to have all the correct info when you pursue it further. Then go to the judge with their response.
Let us all know what happens!

My law firm put in for x amount of expenses for taking cases to court before this settlement was finalized. They said because of these court cases Merck decided to settle for $4+ billion. The amount they were given from the common benefit did not cover all of their costs realative to these court cases. They came up about $3 million short. In order to get their money they charged all of their plaintiffs x amount of dollars. In my case it amounted to several thousand dollars. Your share is a percentage of the $3 million. If you got a large settlement then you paid big bucks for the allocation of expenses. It sounds like there are others besides me that got ripped. I think it stinks and I am trying to get my money back the best way I could. Talking to my law firm is no longer an option. I've been there and done that but it did not do any good.

[Confused Hoosier]

almost over wrote:

<quoted text>
My law firm put in for x amount of expenses for taking cases to court before this settlement was finalized. They said because of these court cases Merck decided to settle for $4+ billion. The amount they were given from the common benefit did not cover all of their costs realative to these court cases. They came up about $3 million short. In order to get their money they charged all of their plaintiffs x amount of dollars. In my case it amounted to several thousand dollars. Your share is a percentage of the $3 million. If you got a large settlement then you paid big bucks for the allocation of expenses. It sounds like there are others besides me that got ripped. I think it stinks and I am trying to get my money back the best way I could. Talking to my law firm is no longer an option. I've been there and done that but it did not do any good.

That's more or less the explanation on my paper work but i did not call my firm because before i even got my recap papers i was told all figures were final from a person at the firm on the phone, so i thought before i waste my time calling about it i called Jen from BG and as soon as i get her response i will let you know what was said.

[Dick In Ohio]

almost over wrote:

<quoted text>
My law firm put in for x amount of expenses for taking cases to court before this settlement was finalized. They said because of these court cases Merck decided to settle for $4+ billion. The amount they were given from the common benefit did not cover all of their costs realative to these court cases. They came up about $3 million short. In order to get their money they charged all of their plaintiffs x amount of dollars. In my case it amounted to several thousand dollars. Your share is a percentage of the $3 million. If you got a large settlement then you paid big bucks for the allocation of expenses. It sounds like there are others besides me that got ripped. I think it stinks and I am trying to get my money back the best way I could. Talking to my law firm is no longer an option. I've been there and done that but it did not do any good.

Forward all your information to Judge Fallon's office,if your attorney accepted common benefit money ,they can not get more from thier clients,Judge Fallon even warned against this action.Let him know.YOU ALL ARE BEING RAPED WITHOUT A KISS.

[concerned]

to Almost over - well that explanation is amazing. Your law firm is charging you for expenses they had before your case came to settlement.!! Unreal. Good luck. I think the support you have on this blog is an indication of the support you will get from Judge Falloon's office!

To Jerimaih - It is good to hear that you quit. Did not mean to mother you. I was just 'concerned'.

[Concerned]

Hey - Hello - to jman and to Pharmgirl- Hope to hear something from SW on Monday or Tuesday or Wednes.... My fingers are crossed.
I am sure all the M/I and sudden death case checks will be out by Thanksgiving.
And I bet by the December vioxx update the Ischemic Stroke cases will be over 50% complete. The points will be going out to all the IS claimants. And30 days after the points comes the checks.

[Concerned]

www.browngreer.com/vioxxsettlement
If you have not looked at this MDL status update - it is worth reviewing the info. All MI appeal cases and IS and EIF claimants should look at the numbers to know where you stand.

[skm]

Concerned wrote:

Hey - Hello - to jman and to Pharmgirl- Hope to hear something from SW on Monday or Tuesday or Wednes.... My fingers are crossed.
I am sure all the M/I and sudden death case checks will be out by Thanksgiving.
And I bet by the December vioxx update the Ischemic Stroke cases will be over 50% complete. The points will be going out to all the IS claimants. And30 days after the points comes the checks.

What letter you looking for? Me, "M"....hopefully soon.