Vioxx maker found liable in U.S. man's death

A Texas jury has found pharmaceutical giant Merck and Co. liable for the death of a man who took the painkiller Vioxx.

Robert Ernst's widow, Carol, was awarded $253.4 million US in damages.

The amount is a combination of the pay he lost as a Wal-Mart produce manager, mental anguish, loss of companionship and punitive damages.