Local Governments in West Virginia Paid $400M Settlement by Opioid Distributors
West Virginia cities and counties reached a $400 million tentative settlement with three major U.S. drug distributors, lawyers announced Monday.
In a lawsuit in state court, the cities and counties accused the distributors of fueling the opioid epidemic. The companies are AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson.
The funds will be distributed over 12 years.
“This is a monumental settlement for the state of West Virginia, and it’s been a battle that’s been waged by a lot of families, a lot of communities,” Wheeling attorney Bob Fitzsimmons told news outlets. “A lot of bad things have happened as a result of the opioid epidemic.”
Fitzsimmons and Huntington attorney Paul Farrell Jr. said the individual counties and municipalities still must approve the settlement.
