Merck recently settled the class action lawsuit filed against it for strokes and heart attacks allegedly connected to the company’s pain medication, Vioxx. Although Merck won most of the Vioxx lawsuits its attorneys tried, the company still faced some 27,000 claims. Having spent $1.2 billion in Vioxx-related legal fees, Merck decided to settle all the remaining claims for $4.85 billion. Merck’s case is just one example of class action lawsuits filed against U.S. corporations and the enormous costs of defending those cases.