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County Suing Big Pharma

County council suing big pharma

Following a short executive session earlier this week, Chesterfield County Council voted unanimously to authorize the engagement of several law firms to pursue certain pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and others for their roles in the opioid epidemic and the resulting costs incurred by Chesterfield County. All attorneys involved have agreed to accept this matter at no cost to the county unless the county receives a settlement or judgment in connection with the litigation.

These law firms are Marc J. Bern and Partners based in New York; Yelverton Law Firm based in Charleston; Savage, Royall & Sheheen based in Camden; and Harris, McLeod & Ruffner based in Cheraw. 

In the past several months, local governments nationwide, including South Carolina, have pursued litigation against numerous pharmaceutical companies and several physicians on behalf of the county or city, accusing them of purposefully failing to inform consumers about the dangers of prescription painkillers. These prescribed medicines may lead to addiction, which is a precursor to overdose deaths.

As of the press deadline, no time line as to when the suit will be filed in state court was available.

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