Johnson Johnson Opioid Lawsuit & Painkiller Injury
Product Liability Lawyer and Painkiller injury attorney reviewing the first Johnson Johnson Opioid Lawsuit on behalf of plaintiffs nationwide
There are numerous cases pending around the country regarding the opioid crisis, and drug makers’ accountability in the deaths and addiction of thousands of Americans. Painkiller injury and opioid deaths have gripped several states, including Ohio as well as Oklahoma, where the first opioid trial is taking place.
Attorney Generals, like those in Ohio and Oklahoma, allege Johnson & Johnson, the nation’s largest drugmaker, assisted in providing copious amounts of dangerous opioid painkillers to patients, disregarding the addiction issue and failed to properly warn of the risks.
Teva Pharmaceuticals and Purdue Pharma already settled with Oklahoma before the trial began, both implicated for the same failure to protect consumers in the opioid public health crisis. In an opening statement, the state noted that some 4,000 Oklahomans died of opioid overdoses from prescription painkillers between 2007 and 2017.
The Johnson Johnson Opioid Lawsuit in Oklahoma, and others around the country, aim to hold drug companies at least partially accountable for the opioid crisis and painkiller overdose epidemic.
Consumer safety attorneys say drug companies oversupplied the country with painkillers, and encouraged doctors to prescribe them. The defendants say the drugs are necessary to treat chronic pain for a number of conditions, and place the overdose and addiction blame on individuals.
Joe Lyon is an experienced drug injury lawyer and prescription error reviewing opioid painkiller overdose settlements for plaintiffs nationwide.
Johnson Johnson Opioid Lawsuits & Settlements
Most states and many local governments are suing large drug companies and distributors over the painkiller crisis. The government has spent billions to combat the crisis, and they say it is only right that the drug companies help pay for the problem they at least partially created.
Settlements and payouts have already included those from Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, totaling $270 million. Teva Pharmaceuticals settled for $85 million with Oklahoma.
The Johnson Johnson opioid lawsuit is only the first, and drug companies are concerned about what their liability will be in the end. More large settlements are likely, particularly with a big case pending in Ohio.
Many medical experts argue that opioid painkillers serve a medical purpose, though most agree that drug abuse and overprescribing is a common problem. Many would like to see drug companies act more responsible and see more regulation, rather than discontinue all painkillers.