The deadline has been extended to 12/18/09

Click here to skip the legal notice and go straight to the Top Class Actions article on this class action lawsuit settlement.

Award (how much your claim may be worth): $Unknown (Varies depending on how much you claim. Likely range is $20 - $200 per claimant)

Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Case(s): Consumers and Third Party Payors v. Pfizer, Inc., Pharmacia Corporation and G.D. Searle & Co., M:05-cv-01699-CRB, MDL No. 1699

Company(ies): Pfizer, Inc.

Website Link to access the Class Action Lawsuit Settlement and get YOUR Stake (ONLINE CLAIMS ACCEPTED HERE): Settlement Administrator Website

Address of Settlement Administrator to submit a claim form (NOT REQUIRED):

Bextra and Celebrex Claims Administrator
c/o Rust Consulting, Inc.
PO Box 24675
West Palm Beach, FL 33416

Phone Number to call for assistance: 1-800-547-9360

Details: A relatively simple claim process for this class action lawsuit settlement and you can even submit your claim online with ease. You just need to know your name, address, and how much you paid for Celebrex or Bextra prior to 7/29/05. If you didn't purchase Bextra or Celebrex prior to 7/29/05 you're not included in this settlement. A few important notes. They are only reimbursing you for how much you paid for Bextra OR Celebrex. Not both. If you took both make sure to check the box for Bextra and fill it out completely. Bextra consumers are set to receive 24% of the fund and Celebrex consumers only 6% so you're most likely going to receive a significantly higher amount if you have a Bextra claim rather than a Celebrex claim. You'll want to gauge how much you spent on each drug prior to 7/29/05 to determine whether you'll want to claim only your Bextra or Celebrex purchases. If you only spent $30 in co-pays on Bextra, but hundreds or thousands on Celebrex you might want to claim your Celebrex purchases rather than Bextra. We can't advise you on which way to proceed, but, keep in mind while filling out the claim form.

Make sure to check your mail and if your claim is challenged, submit the requested paperwork. Just because your claim is challenged doesn't mean they won't pay you. It just means that they want some more paperwork verifying your claim. Paperwork which supports your claim could be a credit or charge card statement showing the amounts paid to your pharmacy or a note from your Doctor stating you took the drug from X/X/200X - 7/1/2005. Your prescribing Doctor shouldn't have any problem giving you a note with this information, so that is probably the easiest route to go. Good luck and submit your claim now!

Purchased From: Those who purchased Bextra or Celebrex Prior to 7/29/05

Claims Accepted Until (YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR CLAIM BY THIS DATE!): 12/18/09

MORE DETAILS BELOW!

Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Amount(s): $89,000,000 (70% to Third Party Payors [Health Insurance Companies, etc.] and 30% to Consumers [24% for Bextra sub-class members and 6% for Celebrex sub-class members]) = $4,000,000 (Settlement Notification Expenses) + $26,700,000 (Attorney Fees) + $58,300,000 (Third Party Payor and Consumer class)

Settlement Administrator(s): Rust Consulting, Inc.

TCA Staff Tidbit: This is an easy one. If you're eligible to make a claim, make sure to do so. Essentially Pfizer was accused of stating that Bextra and Celebrex performed better than over the counter pain medications like Ibprophen and aspirin and caused people to purchase the more expensive medications when they may not have been needed. Of course, Bextra was pulled off the market in the U.S. due to a potential risk of cardiovascular and skin inflammation problems. Because Celebrex was deemed safer, and is still on the market, those class members are getting a much smaller percentage of the pot. Basically they're saying that Celebrex obviously works and people are still using it so we're not going to pay that section of the class as much as those who took Bextra. Thankfully this is a relatively painless class action lawsuit settlement claim process. You can hit the settlement administrator and submit your consumer claim online quickly and easily. No need to attach proof. If it becomes a requirement the settlement administrator will contact you and you'll be given the opportunity to submit it then. The best bet for most people when their claim is challenged is to just get a signed note from their Doctor stating that they took from X/X/200X - X/X/2005. According to the court documents and claim forms that will suffice and allow you to get PAID!   Make your claim now.