Publication Archive: Opioid Epidemic

In March, Judge Polster ruled that BakerHoestetler couldn’t represent Endo in the bellwether cases brought by the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, finding that this nonpublic information “may go to the heart of plaintiffs’ damages claims” and if used “could materially prejudice Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.” “BakerHostetler and Ms. Rendon are unhappy that Judge…Read the article

Hunter Shkolnik, a partner at Napoli Shkolnik, is representing hundreds of counties in opioid cases, including one of the first to be tried as part of large multi-district litigation starting in October. He said: “The Insys verdict is a harbinger of very bad things to come for the manufacturers, distributors and pharmacy chains involved in…Read the article

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster clears the way for testimony at a bellwether trial by Russell Portenoy. “The court concludes Dr. Portenoy’s testimony is too important to the [bellwether] trial, and that exclusion of his testimony is too extreme a sanction under these circumstances,” Judge Polster wrote in rejecting sanctions that…Read the article

Rochester Drug Cooperative, Inc. (RDC), one of the nation’s largest pharmaceutical distributors, was charged by federal prosecutors with conspiracy to distribute controlled narcotics — oxycodone and fentanyl — for non-medical reasons and conspiracy to defraud. RDC is one of the “big pharma” distributors being sued by Schuyler County for fraudulent and negligent marketing and distribution…Read the article

Plaintiffs’ lawyer Hunter Shkolnik of Napoli Shkolnik, who represents bellwether plaintiff Cuyahoga County, told me the expert witness reports were supposed to remain confidential. “I really don’t see a rational, calculated benefit for defendants from disclosing those numbers,” he said. Shkolnik, who declined to confirm his experts’ damages estimates, said the defense goal appears to be to delay…Read the article

The Hawaiʻi County Council voted to approve Resolution 20-19, authorizing the County to employ a private attorney in litigation against opioid manufacturers “who may be liable to the County of Hawaiʻi for the opioid epidemic”, the measure stated. Any and all compensation to Napoli Shkolnik PLLC and its local counsel, the HI Accident Law Center…Read the article

Hawaii County has jumped into a multi-state class action lawsuit against Big Pharma manufacturers and distributors, seeking compensation for opioid addiction and overdoses on the island. The County Council hired on a contingency basis the New York City-based personal injury law firm Napoli Shkolnik and its local counsel. Attorneys will enter Hawaii County in multi-state…Read the article

As the nation’s opioid crisis has devastated thousands of families, it also has taken a crippling financial toll on cities, small towns and counties around the country. That cost was acknowledged last week in a settlement between OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and the state of Oklahoma, a settlement that included $12.5 million for local governments.…Read the article

Several counties and cities in New York are accusing pharmaceutical companies of using false advertising and deceptive marketing practices to minimize the risk of addiction to opioids. The City of Ogdensburg became the latest to join a statewide lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies and distributors of these drugs. City Manager Sarah Purdy advised that the New York…Read the article

Ogdensburg City Council unanimously voted Monday to enter into an agreement with the law firm of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC to represent Ogdensburg in a coordinated legal action by counties and cities against the manufacturers and distributors of opioids. yers for Napoli Shkolnik, of New York City, are planning to argue in court that so-called “big…Read the article