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. Hunter Shkolnik, a lawyer representing at least five Oklahoma counties in opioid-related lawsuits, said he expects his clients will avoid asking for a piece of the settlement because taking the money would mean giving up on their own claims against Stamford, Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma. "The amount that they're offering is woefully inadequate," he said. Download