$4.85 billion Vioxx settlement

It's a sign of the times that a company can express relief after agreeing to settle a massive set of lawsuits for $4.85 billion. But Merck & Co.'s decision on Friday to end the Vioxx wars last week appears to be a victory for a company facing $20 billion in liability, and a validation of its courthouse strategy to fight each case, The American Lawyer reports.

After 11 months of conversation, the nearly $5-billion settlement could cover 26,500 of the more than 30,000 cases filed against the Merck & Co. according to the Los Angeles Times.