Our Pennsylvania opioid government litigation lawyers offer representation to counties and other governmental entities suffering economic and other damages caused by the aggressive marketing of prescription opioids and resultant opioid epidemic. The nationwide opioid crisis has had devastating effects on state and local governments across the country.
In addition to the personal costs suffered by individuals addicted to opioids, overwhelming costs have been incurred by governmental entities forced to deal with the repercussions of rampant opioid addiction.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioid abuse and addiction cost the United States more than $78.5 billion in 2013, alone.
Distribution of these costs shows losses of:
- $42 billion for lost productivity
- $26.1 billion for health insurance
- $7.6 billion for criminal justice
- $2.8 billion for treatment of substance abuse
Pennsylvania has suffered a significant share of the personal and societal costs of the opioid epidemic. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported a 37% increase in Pennsylvania drug overdose deaths in 2016. This amounted to 4,642 drug-related deaths statewide, or approximately 13 each day. Opioids fentanyl and heroin were involved in 2,395 and 2,089 of these deaths, respectively.
Aggressive Marketing by Prescription Opioid Manufacturers
The egregious marketing practices of prescription opioid manufacturers are a significant cause of:
- the national opioid epidemic
- widespread opioid addiction and overdoses throughout the country
- resultant social and economic costs to state and local governments
Governmental entities that may be entitled to compensation for these losses from prescription opioid manufacturers and marketers include:
- states
- cities
- towns
- townships
- counties
- other municipalities and local governmental entities
Opioid litigation instituted by Pennsylvania opioid government litigation lawyers may allege that prescription opioid manufacturers:
- engaged in aggressive marketing tactics targeting vulnerable populations
- knowingly understated the serious risks of addiction from prescription opioid use
- knowingly understated the difficulty of opioid prescription withdrawal
- knowingly misrepresented the ease of preventing, managing, and controlling prescription opioid addiction
- knowingly misrepresented the risks associated with increased prescription opioid dosage
- knowingly misrepresented purported and relative benefits of prescription opioids over alternative vehicles for pain management and treatment
- otherwise misrepresented the dangers of prescription opioids
- continued these marketing practices despite knowledge of increasing national opioid addiction and its devastating effects
Recoverable Costs in Opioid Government Litigation
Costs incurred by governmental entities that may be recoverable in opioid government litigation may include, but are not limited to, costs related to:
- opioid overdose treatment, including administration of naloxone (brand names Narcan, Narcan Nasal Spray, Evzio)
- opioid-related deaths
- opioid-related emergency room treatment
- opioid-related hospitalizations
- unnecessary opioid prescriptions
- health insurance
- emergency services
- other healthcare costs
- court, law enforcement, and other costs related to increased crime due to opioid use and addiction
- increased physical violence and domestic abuse due to opioid addiction and its effects
- victim injuries and deaths due to opioid-related violence
- lost work / productivity
- addiction education, prevention, and recovery programs
- other negative economic and social effects on city, township, municipality, and state public health
Pennsylvania Governmental Entities Affected by the Opioid Crisis
A great many Pennsylvania counties and other governmental entities have sustained significant economic and other damages associated with opioid addiction, injuries, and deaths. Pennsylvania political subdivisions that may be entitled to compensation from prescription opioid producers and marketers include, but are not limited to:
- The City of Philadelphia
- Adams County, PA
- Allegheny County, PA
- Berks County, PA
- Bucks County, PA
- Cambria County, PA
- Chester County, PA
- Dauphin County, PA
- Delaware County, PA
- Erie County, PA
- Lackawanna County, PA
- Lancaster County, PA
- Lehigh County, PA
- Montgomery County, PA
- Schuylkill County, PA
- Washington County, PA
- Westmoreland County, PA
- York County, PA
Opioid Multidistrict Litigation (MDL)
On December 5, 2017, The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) formed an Opioid MDL, in the Northern District of Ohio, to handle the pre-trial and discovery phases of federal opioid government and other non-individual federal opioid litigation cases. Currently filed federal opioid cases are automatically transferred to the MDL court for this phase of the litigation. New federal cases that may be brought by governmental entities, including those entities listed above, will be filed directly with the MDL court.
List of Drugs/Opioids
Contact our Pennsylvania Opioid Government Litigation Lawyers
Municipalities and other governmental entities may be entitled to compensation from prescription opioid manufacturers for economic and social costs caused by the opioid crisis. Feldman & Pinto, P.C., is a Philadelphia based personal injury firm concentrating their practice in pharmaceutical litigation and medical malpractice. We are part of a team of lawyers engaged in a fight to compensate local governmental entities for costs incurred as a result of the opioid epidemic.
Please contact our Pennsylvania opioid government litigation lawyers to discuss instituting an opioid government action.