Cities appeal dismissal of lawsuits against opioid makers
Posted Jan 23, 2019 1:56 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HARTFORD, Conn. — Thirty-seven cities and towns in Connecticut have appealed a judge’s dismissal of their lawsuits blaming Purdue Pharma and other drugmakers for the opioid crisis.
The municipalities appealed to the state Appellate Court on Tuesday. They want to recoup millions of dollars spent responding to drug overdoses and other opioid-related problems.
Judge Thomas Moukawsher in Hartford ruled Jan. 8 the lawsuits are not allowed because they were not filed as government enforcement actions authorized by state public interest laws.
Purdue Pharma officials have said the judge was right to conclude opioid manufacturers cannot be held responsible to municipalities for indirect harms from the opioid crisis. Stamford-based Purdue Pharma makes the opioid painkiller OxyContin.
More than 1,000 lawsuits against opioid makers by state and local governments remain pending nationwide.
The Associated Press
